The 13th BJIFF Documentary Section officially opened at the Beijing Broadcasting Tower Hotel on April 26. Featuring the theme of “Sharing Culture, Shared Future”, the 13th BJIFF Documentary Section is hosted by the BJIFF, jointly organized by the BRTV Documentary and Science Channel, NEO MEDIA and Ultra Pictures, and sponsored by the China Intercontinental Communication Center (CICC). The section is comprised of selection, information release, theme forum and screenings.

　　Opening ceremony of the 13th BJIFF Documentary Section

Present at the opening ceremony were Xu Hejian, Deputy Director-General of the Publicity Department of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, Director of the Information Office of the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality and Member of the 13th BJIFF Organizing Committee, Sun Haidong, Level II Bureau Rank Official and Chief of Film and Television Exchange Division, External Promotion Bureau of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, Jing Shuiqing, Deputy Secretary of Party Committee and Editor-in-Chief of the CICC, Teng Yong, Chief of Information Division, Publicity Department of the National Radio and Television Administration, Chen Yu, Deputy Director of the Beijing Municipal Radio and Television Bureau, Xu Bo, Deputy Director of the International Relations Department, People’s Daily, Bian Jian, Chairman of the BJIFF Documentary Committee, and Member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Beijing Radio & Television Station, and Teng Jianxin, Vice President of the Guangzhou Broadcasting Network.

　　

　　Xu Hejian, Deputy Director-General of the Publicity Department of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, Director of the Information Office of the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality and Member of the 13th BJIFF Organizing Committee

As Xu Hejian indicated, it’s of far-reaching historical significance to present Chinese stories via outstanding documentaries. There should be more and better Chinese documentaries. They should go global, and actively participate in cultural exchanges with worldwide civilizations. The capital Beijing should set an example. In his view, more high-quality documentaries should be created and disseminated to present our practical outcomes, promote renowned historical and cultural cities and brand out international image. He also expressed his expectation and wishes that creators will produce more and better quality documentaries, through which the world may get to know and understand China, and visit and fall in love with Beijing.

　　

　　Jing Shuiqing, Deputy Secretary of Party Committee and Editor-in-Chief of the CICC

In Jing Shuiqing’s opinion, documentary filmmakers should pay tribute to the new era with high-quality documentaries. Documentary is a major tool for demonstrating a country’s cultural essence, carrying forward mankind’s common values, and facilitating global cultural sharing. In terms of the development of documentaries and documentary industry in the new era, he put forward a few points regarding international cooperation and exchanges in documentaries: first, we should embrace the new era, and produce high-quality film and television documentaries that transcend borders and touch hearts; second, we should utilize new technologies to digitally empower wider and further promotion of Chinese culture; third, we should join our hands to create a new future, and facilitate cultural exchanges and sharing through film and television documentaries. Let’s make the world a better place with sincerity and warmth!

　　

　　Bian Jian, Chairman of the BJIFF Documentary Committee and Member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Beijing Radio & Television Station

As Bian Jian elaborated, the BJIFF Documentary Section features professional standard and international vision. The Documentary Section has accessed and witnessed the vast and vigorous development of the China’s documentary industry, and fully experienced lively exchanges and sharing among domestic and foreign documentary filmmakers and enthusiasts. He believed that documentaries play active and significant role in publicizing Chinese culture worldwide, enabling the world to know and understand China, and bridge gaps across time, space and borders. Known for its professional standard and international vision, the BJIFF Documentary Section has become a key platform for exchanges and interaction among domestic and international documentary filmmakers.

　　

　　Teng Jianxin, Vice President of the Guangzhou Broadcasting Network

In Teng Jianxin’s opinion, documentaries are actually “video chronicle of the era”. Documentaries possess significant cultural, artistic, social and communication values, and they are actually “video chronicle of the era”. He looked forward to continuous partnership between the Guangzhou Broadcasting Network and Beijing Radio & Television Station, and in-depth exchanges between the GZDOC and BJIFF Documentary Section for joint dissemination and development of domestic and international documentaries.

　　

　　Yan Wei, Secretary General of the BJIFF Documentary Committee and 

Director of the BRTV Documentary and Science Channel

According to Yan Wei, as an integrity first media, the BRTV Documentary and Science Channel is mandated to let the world understand China in the new era. The BJIFF Documentary Section is an annual gathering for documentary filmmakers organized by the BRTV Documentary and Science Channel and NEO MEDIA. As an integrity first media, the BRTV Documentary and Science Channel is mandated to let the world understand China in the new era. The partnership between the BRTV Documentary and Science Channel and CICC marks a key step towards a new platform and new journey.

　　

　　Documentary selection jury

The BJIFF Documentary Committee specially invited Vikram Channa, Warner Bros. Discovery Vice President and Head of Content & Products Greater China and South East Asia, Chen Xiaonan, Deputy editor-in-chief and Chief Host of qq.com, Zhao Jie, Director of Strategy Research Institute, China Communication Research Center, National Radio and Television Administration, and Chairman of the Documentary Committee, China Federation of Radio and Television Associations, Liang Bibo, famous documentary director, Tatsunori Ikegami, Chief Producer of Program Production of International Business Group, NHK Enterprises, as to recommend outstanding documentaries. The Documentary Section collected approximately 140 submissions from 42 countries and regions worldwide, certain of which have won awards at major international film festivals, such as the Berlin International Film Festival and Venice International Film Festival.

　　

　　Vikram Channa, Warner Bros. Discovery Vice President and Head of Content & Products Greater China and South East Asia

As Vikram Channa commented, “The selection of the BJIFF Documentary Section is as great as always. It’s a highlight to include a series of best documentaries from various countries and cultures. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve been looking forward to recommending documentaries”. Chen Xiaonan explained, “Various documentaries present different angles of life. And such angles keep touching us across time and space”. As Zhao Jie mentioned, “This year marks rich variety of submissions. I feel passion and efforts devoted to life through the submitted documentaries”. As Liang Bibo pointed out, “Documentaries submitted this year feature wide range of subject matters and high quality. I have two selection criteria: thought-provoking and interesting”. Tatsunori Ikegami said, “A rich variety of content is presented through the documentaries from different countries. They narrate various lifetime stories, and boast excellent creative ideas and touching moments in life.”

The jury selected winners of “Best Documentary of the Year”, “Special Jury Mention”, “Special Jury Focus” and “Best Chinese Story Narration”.

At the launch event of a TV program in partnership with the CICC, Cui Binzhen, Deputy Secretary of Party Committee of the CICC, mentioned, “On occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative and opening of the BJIFF, the USilk has been aired overseas for 7 years, and grown from a spring seedling to a summer tree. Thanks to the guidance and support of the State Council Information Office, National Administration of Radio and Television, and friends from all walks of life, the TV program has reached a total of 600 million viewers in more than 40 countries and regions across five continents through 19 languages”. Yan Wei, Director of the BRTV Documentary and Science Channel, introduced the airing of the USilk in China in partnership with the CICC. The program is expected to air at 9:50PM every Friday on the BRTV Documentary and Science Channel. Li Mian, Director of the CICC International Communication Center, made a presentation on the overseas airing of TV programs dedicated to “10th Anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative”. The CICC will collect outstanding international communication contents from publicity departments, media and film and television production institutions nationwide. By means of partnership with renowned international communication agencies, TV columns established and operated by the CICC, and CICC new media matrix, the CICC organizes the airing of TV programs together with domestic agencies. The TV programs are estimated to reach 3 billion viewers in approximately 200 countries and regions in Asia, Europe, Africa, North America and South America.

　　

　　Launch Event of Airing of the USilk

International film festivals, media and documentary professionals from France, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Nigeria, Tanzania, Macau and Hong Kong, China, extended their best wishes to the BJIFF Documentary Section and USilk via video messages. Meanwhile, guests present at the Documentary Section jointly launched the airing of the USilk in China, and overseas airing of TV programs dedicated to “10th Anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative”.

Professor He Suliu, Deputy Director of the Faculty of Journalism and Communication, Communication University of China, and Director of the China Documentary Research Center, delivered a keynote speech titled “Ten Years of Chinese Documentaries: Responsibilities, Influence and Future Prospects”, and shared his review and outlook on the development of Chinese documentaries.

　　

　　Signing Ceremony

At the Documentary Section, the BRTV Documentary and Science Channel, Guangzhou Broadcasting Network and Ultra Pictures hosted Strategic Co-operation Agreement Signing Ceremony regarding high-quality documentaries, integrated media resources and 4K and 8K contents.

　　活Creators International Forum

The Documentary Section also included the “Creators International Forum”. Moderator and panelists present were Leng Song, Secretary General and Research Fellow of the World Media Research Center, Institute of Journalism & Communication, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Ryo Takeuchi, international documentary director, Tian Yuan, producer at the Television and Documentary Center, China Media Group, Wu Zhiyong, BRTV documentary director, and Shen Pengfei, Director of Contents, NEO MEDIA and documentary director among other scholars, domestic and international directors engaged in documentary filmmaking. They shared ideas about cross-cultural exchanges, and documentary filmmaking from international perspective and internationalized film presentation of Chinese stories. The forum aimed to promote cultural and creation sharing.

The BJIFF Documentary Section has been successfully held for seven editions, all of which have greatly promoted the integration and development of the documentary industry. Known for its professional standard and international vision, the BJIFF Documentary Section has become a key platform for exchanges and interaction among domestic and international documentary filmmakers.