The classic 1939 film The Wizard of Oz highlighted the core values of commercial films with a single line: whether it is superheroes or urban beauties, they all eventually realize the value of home and return there.

Is there a home for films?

At the 14th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF), director Gu Xiaogang said, “Thanks to the BJIFF, we can reunite, meet up again, and cheer for the future. As creators, we did not expect our lives to follow specific scripts like films, or that we would work hard with certain upward forces, striving to achieve and verify bit by bit. One day, perhaps, other directors here will also “return home” and stand on this stage.”

The scene of the14th BJIFF Project Pitches Awards Ceremony

This year is indeed his “homecoming” year at the BJIFF. Not only did he judge the Forward Future section and direct the festival’s theme short film, As Spring Comes Along, but his new film, Dwelling by the West Lake, premiered as the opening film for fans.

When we set our sights on the roadshow of the Project Pitches final review in April, the venue was packed, and industry filmmakers expressed their expectations for Project Pitches with great enthusiasm. Not only were buyers from various film companies eagerly anticipating, but many young creators ready to make their mark also attended to gain creation experience. They might be on the big screen next year.

The BJIFF has launched a new platform for young filmmakers to share their ideas.

In three months, 769 projects were submitted in response to the 14th BJIFF Project Pitches call. Over the course of five months, 21 outstanding projects emerged from two rounds of reviews conducted by eight preliminary review companies, three re-evaluation judges, and two trainers.

Stanley Kwan, Chairman of this year’s Project Pitches jury, compared Project Pitches to a directing class: “When I communicate with young people as a teacher, the joy and satisfaction it brings me is very interesting... It feels like I’m back in the classroom, sharing the same space with the students. I really enjoy it.”

Dog Tashi is also the fastest incubated project this year, having made it into the main competition unit of feature films at the 40th Warsaw Film Festival (WFF). It is the only Chinese film to be shortlisted in the main competition unit of feature films at this year’s WFF. We look forward to seeing more works successfully incubated and showcased on stages both domestically and internationally.

The film festival is like a window to the world, allowing us to see the scenery while also allowing the rest of the world to see how inclusive we are inside the window.

The 14th Tiantan Award received 1,509 film entries from 118 countries and regions, with international films accounting for more than 87%. The final 15 shortlisted films are diverse in genre, varied in style, and of high quality.

Emir Kusturica, a world-renowned film master who has won a Grand Slam of competition sections at three major European film festivals, chairs the prestigious Tiantan Award international jury, which selects ten professional awards with a professional attitude and authoritative perspective.

Director Kusturica is a big fan of the Best Film G for Gap, which he selected as chairman of the Tiantan Award international jury, and expressed his desire to bring it to Serbia in April. He kept his promise, and G for Gap will be shown at the 18th Kustendorf International Film and Music Festival, which will take place in Drvengrad, Mokra Gora, in January of next year. Yue Hong, who won the Tiantan Award for Best Supporting Actress, will attend the post-screening event.

Emir Kusturica, Chairman of

the 14th BJIFF Tiantan Award International Jury

In the starlight of BJIFF, media professionals soar through the film sky like keen falcons, capturing every wonderful moment with sharp insight. The BJIFF international media team consisted of 97 journalists from 87 countries and regions who gathered at the 14th BJIFF to cover various events such as the opening and closing ceremonies.

The charm and power of films are spreading around the world thanks to the efforts of media professionals from 105 countries and regions. They use their insights to delve into filmmakers’ hearts, listen to their stories, feel their passion, and communicate film mysteries to fans through words and images. This is concrete proof of the BJIFF’s cultural influence "going global", as well as an expression of the spirit of inclusiveness and mutual cultural appreciation of Chinese films.

The BJIFF also hosted the International Lounge event for the first time, facilitating over 120 industry meetings in three days. The International Lounge aims to connect the film industries from all over the world, deeply linking various departments within the industry such as creation, production, film festivals, distribution, and cinemas, providing filmmakers with a significant face-to-face communication platform. It is like a lounge, where film practitioners from all over the world can relax and feel at ease. Ms. Ilda Santiago, Director of the Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival, said, “The ‘International Lounge’ gave meaning to my 30-hour journey, and I feel very satisfied.”

This year marks the 50th anniversary of China and Brazil’s diplomatic relations, and the BJIFF has invited Brazil as a guest of honor.

With the generous support of the Brazilian Embassy in China, we have invited the renowned Brazilian director Carlos Saldanha to serve as an international judge for the Tiantan Award at this year’s BJIFF. On the evening of April 20, the Brazilian Embassy in China and the BJIFF organizing committee co-hosted the opening ceremony of Brazilian Film Week. The Deputy Minister of Culture of Brazil, representatives from the Brazilian Embassy in China, and representatives of the BJIFF organizing committee all attended and delivered speeches. The BJIFF and the Brazilian Embassy in China have built a bridge to help the Chinese public better understand Brazilian works, artists, and filmmakers.

Director Yonfan once made a joke about himself using Brigitte Lin’s words, “You love movies so much, but it seems movies have let you down a bit”. However, his works, which were once panned by critics, have since become classics in the hearts of fans. He said he was more pleased to see so many fans at the first public screening of the 4K restored version of Peony Pavilion in Beijing than to win awards abroad.

Director Yonfan, who is making his second appearance at the BJIFF, met the audience by bringing the latest 4K restored version of Peony Pavilion, which unfortunately was not included in the screenings last year. He also designed two posters as gifts for each audience member. At the first event, Director Yonfan signed autographs for each audience member, just as he had done last year. Furthermore, he thoughtfully prepared 400 signed posters for the second event.

Producer Maurilio Martins, who attended the exchange event with the film Mars One, which represented Brazil in the Oscar race, not only gave audience members who asked questions a beautifully signed ticket holder, but he also wrote a message on it: É Preciso sempre sonhar (everyone has the right to dream).

The Making Waves - Navigators of Hong Kong Cinema section has introduced fans to new faces in Hong Kong cinema over the last two years. Many of these films made their mainland debuts through the BJIFF, establishing a reputation for their subsequent mainland releases. For example, Love Lies, which was screened this year, had impressive box office results after its Hong Kong release and received positive reviews when it entered the mainland market. Sandra Ng’s performance is vivid and touching, making her a frontrunner for Best Actress at next year’s Hong Kong Film Awards.

The post-screening event for Love Lies

at the 14th Beijing Film Panorama

Liu Haoran ran all the way to the venue in Shouchuang Langyuan Station Park, like a scene from a youth film.

This year, the BJIFF recognized that, in addition to producing excellent creators for the film market, talents from a variety of other fields are also in high demand. The BJIFF job fair used a diverse three-in-one model of on-site recruitment, live streaming, and online special sessions to help companies looking for talent find the people they need as quickly as possible. Film practitioners include more than just directors, screenwriters, and actors. Film is a comprehensive art. From the first word written in the script to the final screening, many different roles are involved. Every film dream is worthy of being seen.

Everything the BJIFF does is aimed at running towards the future of film. Technology is the foundation of film and serves as the compass for its future development. The BJIFF organizing committee collaborated with the Research Center for Film and Television Drama of Peking University. The center’s director, Professor Chen Xuguang, had specially planned a series of AI technology-related activities. The “Future of Light and Shadow” Film Science and Technology Section has received a lot of attention, as it discusses one of the hottest topics of the moment: the impact of AI and high technology on the film industry. We must continue to question until the new era of film arrives.

This year, on the day before the End of Heat, before the summer box office heat wave ended, the BJIFF hosted an “Everlasting BJIFF” movie screening event. After the screening, the host invited old BJIFF friends to speak one by one, sharing their initial reactions to the film that had just been shown.

The host suddenly mentioned that there was a special old friend in the audience, Director Xia Meng, who had won Best Original Screenplay at the 12th BJIFF Project Pitches. Her due date was only two weeks away, but she still attended the screening event.

We also saw Director Xia Meng at the first BJIFF NEWHER Women’s Film Section, which took place in April. She won the Best Director award for her short film A Risky Dream, which she completed in a short period of time. We Are Forever, her debut film as director, was also released in early August. This script was Director Xia Meng’s master’s thesis project at the Beijing Film Academy’s Department of Directing.

Not only did the BJIFF follow a young director from Project Pitches to NEWHER, but it also saw her life and art flourish simultaneously.

Director Xia Meng took a small step in her cinematic journey, and more female creators are moving forward tirelessly as well. 2024 is the year of flourishing for female filmmakers.

Anatomy of a Fall, the Palme d’Or-winning film from last year, has been unexpectedly released domestically. As a 151-minute French art film, grossing 28 million yuan domestically is already a remarkable achievement.

At this year’s Beijing Film Panorama, the first ticket sold was for director Teng Congcong’ s To the Wonder, and the fastest-selling film was May, a documentary about women.

By the end of 2024, Her Story, directed by Shao Yihui, emerged as a dark horse in November. Big World, directed by Yang Lina, a jury member of the Forward Future section at the 14th BJIFF, will be officially released on December 27, accompanying the audience to bid the old year farewell and welcome the new one.

A film festival can be a few days of brief gatherings, but it can also embody an “everlasting” spirit, transporting the essence of a city’s civilization and a country’s cinematic history around the world.

When the screen lights up, countless frames flash before our eyes. When the screen goes dark, it appears that the film has completed its mission, but it never ends, and neither does the BJIFF. Films constantly reflect reality and the future, as director Emir Kusturica said: “I hope to use the camera to express the changes of the times and the country. I see a bright future, and there will be many changes in it. We also need to imagine what the future will look like.”

The BJIFF flies the “everlasting” flag, leaving a global footprint of high-quality Chinese films.

The films were enjoying the excitement of early summer in May on the Cannes beaches, and in November, they were heading for broader and more distant lands.

In November, at the Chinese Film Week of the Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF) in Egypt, Chen Sicheng’ s annual masterpiece Decoded premiered, and he received the CIFF’s Golden Pyramid honorary award.

Each country, from Egypt, Jordan, Thailand, Peru, Brazil, to Vietnam, has its own customs and traditions. Films are the secret codes we use to “decode” the allure of each other’s cultures and human emotions.

Back in China, from Decoded to Land of Broken Hearts, the Everlasting BJIFF series of events at the BJIFF aims to keep the screen lit. “Everlasting” is more than just a slogan; it is an attitude. Furthermore, we can see how the Beijing Film Market and Everlasting BJIFF have benefited film fans and young filmmakers. We not only support every film dream but also eagerly await every story of seeing the screen, from the first key roadshow recommendation conference for film and television projects to the Project Pitches script project sharing session for young filmmakers and the premieres of a number of cinematic masterpieces like The Hutong Cowboy and Land of Broken Hearts.

This year, we have seen many Chinese filmmakers at film festivals all over the world.

Director Jia Zhangke entered the main competition unit of Cannes for the seventh time with Caught by the Tides, and director Guan Hu’s Black Dog won the Best Film Award in the Un Certain Regard section of Cannes. My Friend Andre won the Best Artistic Contribution Award at the Tokyo International Film Festival, while Big World took home the Audience Choice Award.

The films that went global returned to our cinemas, allowing us to see the “everlasting” artistic heart of cinema.

At the 7th China Film New Force Forum, Deputy Director Mao Yu, who oversees the daily operations of the China Film Administration of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, stated that we need good movies and that we must make good movies that audiences enjoy.

In 2024, many directors took their “second step”.

The BJIFF’s opening film, Dwelling by the West Lake, is the second work of director Gu Xiaogang, who emerged from the BJIFF Project Pitches. He is also a judge of the Forward Future section at the 14th BJIFF. Green Wave, which won the Fei Mu Awards · Best Actor and the Jury Award at the Pingyao International Film Festival, is also the second feature film by director Xu Lei, who emerged from the BJIFF Project Pitches. Other films include YOLO, To the Wonder, Give You a Candy, The Wig, To Gather Around, Her Story, and more.

The “second step” of young filmmakers could be a step up or in some ways confusing. However, they are all striving to get closer to the audience and find a screen bridge between them and the audience.

Director Chen Kaige, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s BJIFF, has also taken his “second step”. The second of the series, The Volunteers: The Battle of Life and Death, was the National Day box office champion. Creation of The Gods II: Demonic Confrontation, directed by Wu Ershan, is a strong contender for next year’s Spring Festival. Director Wu Ershan is an old friend of the BJIFF. Even at the 11th BJIFF, he was a member of the international jury for the Tiantan Award, the official competition section of BJIFF. We are looking forward to his new work.

More importantly, their “second step” should be towards home. Moving forward means returning home and embracing China’s film market.

In 2025 and beyond, we hope to see more seasoned and up-and-coming filmmakers take the second, third, and fourth steps together. We also hope to see films and audiences reaching out to each other as audiences take their first steps toward the cinema in the new year.