Ready to Roll! Final Live-Action Short Films of the Project Pitches Training Camp Announced
Recently, the 15th Beijing International Film Festival's Project Pitches Training Camp held its Greenlight Meeting, where 15 short film project teams presented their creative concepts and production plans. Spanning genres from urban romance to sci-fi suspense, from social realism to female empowerment, the participants showcased their imagination and solid storytelling abilities, engaging in an intense competition.
As the mentors noted, the energy and passion displayed by these young creators were truly inspiring. Faced with a series of innovative story proposals, the mentors and the Organizing Committee unanimously decided—after multiple rounds of evaluation and discussion—to increase the number of final selected live-action short films from three to four. This decision aims to provide more support for emerging filmmakers, discover outstanding creative talents, and help young filmmakers realize their artistic dreams.
Following deliberation by Project Pitches Training Camp's Head Mentor Wen Muye, Acting Mentor Zhou Dongyu, and Lead Producer & Producer Mentor Ying Luojia, the final selections for this year's live-action short films are: Basic Semantics, Silent Impact, Totally Unrelated, and The Gatekeeper.
Additionally, a Media Jury composed of outlets such as Domore, Black & White Entertainment, Yingshi Dushe, Leapscreen, Yuli, Douban Podcast, Expelliarmus, No Boring Movie, and Dissent Room voted Basic Semantics as the Media Recommendation Project of this year's Project Pitches Training Camp.
This year's short film theme is "Say What You Need to Say," welcoming young talents in producing, directing, cinematography, and production design. Over a one-month application period, the camp received an overwhelming 303 submissions, ultimately selecting 15 directors, 6 producers, 7 cinematographers, and 5 production designers to participate.
Since the camp's launch in February, participants have undergone a series of intensive training sessions, including mentor classes, script guidance, and project pitching exchanges. Divided into 15 short film teams, the 33 selected participants presented their projects at the Greenlight Meeting with passionate storytelling and detailed production plans. Mentors provided invaluable feedback from multiple perspectives, including theme interpretation, narrative innovation, character development, and production feasibility, offering students professional insights and guidance.
Wen Muye, Head Mentor of the Project Pitches Training Camp
Zhou Dongyu, Acting Mentor of the Project Pitches Training Camp
Ying Luojia, Lead Producer & Producer Mentor of the Project Pitches Training Camp
Among the final live-action short films, Basic Semantics explores how primitive and concrete language conveys abstract emotions, Silent Impact portrays the quiet resilience of individual strength, Totally Unrelated presents an urban romantic comedy, and The Gatekeeper is inspired by a real-life story. The selected short films, despite their diverse styles and genres, all reflect the younger generation's keen observations and reflections on life - whether through raw emotional storytelling or narratives centered around real-world issues.
Participants at the Event
This year's Project Pitches Training Camp has not only provided a stage for young creators to showcase their talents but also fostered a collaborative learning environment. Looking ahead, these passionate and talented filmmakers will continue forging their paths in cinema, contributing to the growth of China's film industry. In the next two months, the four final short films will enter intensive pre-production, filming, and post-production stages. The camp's premiere screening will take place during the BJIFF in late April. Stay tuned!
