Built around the theme "Cinema of Youth, Cinema for Youth", the promotional film for the 33rd College Student Film Festival adopts a meta-narrative approach, following the creative team as they develop the film itself. Through a story-within-a-story structure, it captures, with humor and energy, the creative exchanges and emotional journey behind the production process.

In pursuit of a brilliant ray of light, a group of young people bursts out of the theatre. Their running silhouettes reflect the tireless spirit of generations of young people, as well as the enduring legacy of the College Student Film Festival over the past 33 years.

As memories of the 1st and 33rd BCSFF quietly converge, the warmth of a bygone era meets the passion of today's youth within a single frame.

I. Major Events

On April 18 (Saturday), the Launch Ceremony of Beijing International Film Festival · The 33rd College Student Film Festival will take place at the Beijing Drum Tower Time Museum in Dongcheng District, Beijing. The event will feature the premiere of this year's official promotional film, the announcement of the selected titles for the "Flashing Youth" Outstanding Chinese Film Programme, the screening of the opening film for the Launch Ceremony, and a post-screening discussion. The Launch Ceremony is jointly hosted by Beijing Normal University, Dongcheng District Committee of the Communist Party of China, Beijing, and the Dongcheng District People's Government of Beijing Municipality, continuing the festival's tradition of bringing together institutional and industry support in celebration of cinema.

The "Youth Night" Awards Ceremony of Beijing International Film Festival · The 33rd College Student Film Festival will be held on May 3 (Sunday) at the Red Theater in  Dongcheng District, Beijing. Nearly 100 filmmakers, industry leaders and distinguished guests are expected to attend and witness the presentation of eight annual "Youth Honors" awards recognizing the films most favored by college students. The ceremony will also feature live performances combining youthful energy with artistic sophistication. Jointly hosted by Beijing Normal University, the Dongcheng District Committee of the Communist Party of China, Beijing, and the Dongcheng District People's Government of Beijing Municipality, the event will be broadcast live on Btime and Tencent Video, inviting audiences around the world to join this celebration of youth and cinema.

II. Theme Forum

Against the backdrop of rapid transformation in cinema in the AI era, the theme forum "Where is Cinema Heading in the AI Age?", designed as part of the College Student Film Festival, will take place on April 21 (Tuesday) at the Haidian campus of Beijing Normal University. Bringing together leading voices from film academia, the creative industries and the technology sector, the forum will examine both the potential and the limits of the relationship between AI and cinema, explore how technological innovation and artistic integrity can evolve in parallel, and consider the future of filmmaking in an era of human-machine collaboration. The forum aims to help Chinese cinema retain a strong humanistic foundation amid the rise of intelligent technologies, broaden the possibilities of cinematic expression and contribute to a new chapter in the development of the industry.

III. Academic Activities

Building on the academic strengths of Beijing Normal University's nationally leading Drama and Film Studies programme, the College Student Film Festival has long maintained a strong commitment to academic excellence, fostering deeper integration between film practice and theoretical research. This year's festival will continue to host a series of signature academic events, including the theme forum, the Young Filmmakers Forum, the Young Film Critics Forum and the International Young Scholars Conference, creating a comprehensive and multi-layered platform for dialogue and exchange that reflects the festival's longstanding commitment to "Passion, Academic Sense, and Cultural Awareness".

This year's Young Filmmakers Forum, themed "The Rewriting of Experience and the Reinvention of Genre", will bring together emerging directors, screenwriters and other film professionals to discuss key issues in contemporary Chinese cinema, exploring new possibilities for expanding cinematic expression at the intersection of lived experience and genre storytelling.

The Young Film Critics Forum, themed "Redefining: Film Criticism in the Context of Change", will focus on the profound impact of digital technologies and changing media environments on systems of film evaluation. Young scholars, prominent critics and film and TV creators will gather to exchange perspectives and amplify the voices of a new generation of film criticism.

The 7th International Young Scholars Conference, themed "Tracing Origins, Exploring Forms, Expanding Boundaries: Rethinking Film Studies in a Changing Landscape", will be jointly organized by the School of Arts and Communication, Beijing Normal University and Film Art. Bringing together emerging scholars from around the world, the conference will address the evolving landscape and challenges of film studies in the AI era through the lenses of historical methodology, ontology and new developments in contemporary moving-image culture.

IV. Film Screenings

From April 19 to May 4, Beijing International Film Festival · The 33rd College Student Film Festival will present screenings of 34 selected Chinese films featured in the "Flashing Youth" Outstanding Chinese Film Programme at the China Film Archive and selected university venues participating in the BCSFF. Selected screenings will also be accompanied by post-screening discussions and meet-and-greet sessions with the creative team.

In addition, the International College Student Film Selection, one of the BCSFF's signature programmes, will organize touring screenings of outstanding works at universities across China, encouraging and inspiring young filmmakers to continue creating original work.

From April to June, the College Student Film Festival will further strengthen its partnerships with online video platforms to showcase selected titles from the "Flashing Youth" Programme, along with award-winning films from the International College Student Film Selection, bringing the festival's cinematic experience to audiences nationwide.

V. College Student Original Works Selection

The College Student Original Works Selection remains one of the BCSFF's flagship student-focused programmes. This year, the College Student Film Festival will continue to present selections of student-produced films, screenplays and film criticism, while further broadening the scope of submissions and expanding the programme’s overall reach and influence. The 26th International College Student Film Selection will feature three standing categories—feature films, documentaries and animation/experimental works—as well as a special section,  "Young Filmmakers Development Program" jointly organized with the Experimental High School Affiliated to Beijing Normal University.

On April 26 (Sunday), the "College Student Originals Night" awards presentation and screening event will be held at the Haidian campus of Beijing Normal University. Honors will be presented across all categories of the Student Original Works Selection, while representatives of selected projects will attend in person to discuss their creative process, share production experiences and challenges, and engage directly with audiences.

Driven by youthful creativity and a passion for cinema, the College Student Film Festival will launch the 2nd College Student Original Film Pitching Session "Youth Stone Project" in mid-May 2026. Ten screenplays and WIP projects with strong commercial development potential will be selected for live pitching sessions before a jury composed of leading film industry professionals. Outstanding projects will receive honors and development support.

The Project Pitches event aims to provide young creators with a comprehensive platform for resource matchmaking and creative incubation, helping them transform scripts and short films into feature-length films. This initiative further solidifies the BCSFF's leading role in the industry and establishes it as a flagship brand for youth cultural innovation in China.

VI. South China (Zhuhai) Film Week

Scheduled for early to mid-May 2026, the South China (Zhuhai) Film Week will take place at the Zhuhai Campus of Beijing Normal University. Continuing to advance the university's "One University, Two Campuses" development strategy, this year's Film Week will draw on the College Student Film Festival's 32 years of accumulated resources and brand recognition to promote film culture, enrich campus life and highlight the role of arts education. The event will also encourage regional exchange in film culture and support young creators in engaging more deeply with the cultural development of the Greater Bay Area.

Beijing International Film Festival · The 33rd College Student Film Festival is a nationwide film festival organized by Beijing Normal University, hosted by its School of Arts and Communication, and supported by more than 80 universities across China. Since its founding in 1993, the festival has remained committed to its guiding principles of "Passion, Academic Sense, and Cultural Awareness" while maintaining its distinctive approach of being "Organized by College Students, Enjoyed by College Students, Appraised by College Students, and Filmed by College Students". Over the past three decades, the festival has played a significant role in nurturing young filmmaking talent in China and has grown into an internationally recognized platform for youth cinema.

Under the theme "Cinema of Youth, Cinema for Youth", this year's festival embraces a new era of digital and intelligent development while responding to the evolving trajectory of the film industry in the AI era. Young creators are encouraged to use the camera as their pen and youth as their ink, drawing inspiration from the spirit of the times, maintaining cultural confidence in their work, and balancing technological innovation with a commitment to humanistic values. Through the perspective of youth, they are invited to tell Chinese stories, create compelling cinematic narratives and ensure that the voice of young Chinese cinema resonates more strongly on the global stage.

Youth in Light, Film in Motion; knowledge Fuels Creation. Beijing International Film Festival · The 33rd College Student Film Festival promises a dynamic celebration of youth and film. We look forward to welcoming audiences to this year's festival.