Forward Future
12th BJIFF “Forward Future” Honors Are Presented—Global Young Filmmakers Compete for Honors
The 12th BJIFF Forward Future Honorary Award Ceremony & A.R.T. Night of Young Filmmakers was concluded by the Yanqi Lake, Beijing, on August 18, 2022. Cui Yan, Executive Deputy Director of the BJIFF Organizing Committee Office, attended and addressed the ceremony.
Cui Yan gave full recognition to the acclaim and social attention that the Forward Future section gained, and said that the event not only encouraged film innovation and revitalized creativity of film art, but also discovered and supported new talents and strengthened the exchanges and cooperation among global filmmakers, attaining multi-win results.
A.R.T. Furniture, Markor Furnishings Retail, is a promoter of artistic furnishings and a leader of beautiful lifestyle, aimed to bring about passion for life through the art of furnishings. The 12th BJIFF Forward Future section sponsored by A.R.T. Furniture highlighted that regardless of film cause or home furnishing brand, good works and products would not be possible without continuous pursuit of art and excellence in craftsmanship, and only by devotion of endless passion and inheritance of classics can we pass on.
This edition of the Forward Future section shortlists 15 films (Actual People, Azuro, Geranium, Girls Don’t Cry, Grown-ups, Love Found Love Lost, Journey to the West, Machine for the Aura, Oliver and the Pool, Orchestra, Somewhere Over the Chemtrails, The Rust, The Shape of Things to Come and Third Time Lucky) from 13 countries, 14 of which are screened at the BJIFF.
Ning Ying, a Chinese director, served as the jury president, and Chui Mui Tan, a Malaysian director and Martti Helde, an Estonian director as members of the jury of the Forward Future section of the 12th BJIFF. After careful viewing, discussion and in-depth research, the jury reviewed the shortlisted films following the principle of professionalism, authority and impartiality. At last, out of the above-listed 15 shortlisted films, seven honors were decided, namely the “Best Film”, “Best Director”, “Best Screenplay”, “Best Actress”, “Best Actor”, “Best Artistic Contribution”, and “Jury Special Mention” . These honors are a token of encouragement and appreciation for the outstanding creators and their works, as well as a blessing for the newcomer filmmakers. We wish them to continue to forge ahead on their own film path, uphold their initial dreams, and run towards a better “future”.
Coming into its 12th edition, the BJIFF set up the Forward Future section in 2014, aimed to provide global young directors with a platform for sharing and exchanges—“To perceive the world through films and help young people lead the future” so that their works can receive more attention and support from the industry and beyond. The section has become a great starting point for many filmmakers. Their works have recorded their wonderful and gorgeous early artistic career, and created a new life for film art at the same time, lighting up the road to the “future”.
Thanks to the exhibition of works by young filmmakers, many filmmaking professionals attending the event expressed their resolution to uphold their original aspirations, forge ahead, and present more outstanding works to audience.
Last but not least, Cui Yan indicated that the BJIFF Organizing Committee will continue to partner with Beijing Film Academy, and organize the Forward Future section to discover, promote and support young rising talents, and facilitate better and faster integration of China films into the international community, and the world as a whole.
List of Honors and Presentation Speeches for the 12th BJIFF “Forward Future” Section
Best Film
JOURNEY TO THE WEST
“It’s a creative and interesting film full of surprises. The characters are one-of-a-kind, and the storyline is full of twists and turns. It’s bold to explore mankind’s value of existence in the universe. The brilliant and smart directorial debut offers endless surprises to audience.”
Best Director
ORCHESTRA
Matevz? Luzar
“Director Matevz? Luzar depicted real and subtle episodes during the orchestra’s tour in a vivid and detailed manner. His fine control of brightness and shadows renders ordinary episodes colorful and live in detailed ensemble performance.”
Best Screenplay
SOMEWHERE OVER THE CHEMTRAILS
Adam koloman Rybansky?
Luka?s? Csicsely
“The film uses absurd narrative to tell the story of a group of firefighters in a small Czech village. In magical yet realistic context, screenwriters Adam koloman Rybansky? and Luka?s? Csicsely fill the fable with love and humor.”
Best Actor
JOURNEY TO THE WEST
Yang Haoyu
“The protagonist is a crazy scientist not understood by reality. Yang Haoyu delivered true, convincing and hilarious performance.”
Best Actress
GROWN UPS
Mai Kiryu
“Leading actress Mai Kiryu did a good job in presenting complex inner emotions in a fascinating way. She managed to deliver an emotional mixture of sorrow, frustration and peace at appropriate tight and loose pace.”
Best Artistic Contribution
THE RUST
“The film tells the story about Jorge, a young farmer, staying at hometown to take care of his grandfather and the coffee plantation he inherited from his ancestry. Director Juan Sebastián Mesa made powerful presentation of rural-urban conflicts in contemporary Columbia. The film is unforgettable with high cultural values.”
Jury Special Mention
THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME
“The film tells a plain yet timeless father-son story through the building process of a mysterious machine. The creators broke the boundaries between different genres and made a bold experiment with presentation.”
Jury Special Mention
LOVE FOUND LOVE LOST
“The film utilized a rare gaze and its narrative focused on the marvelous scenery of deep mountains and waters in Guizhou. Mankind’s existence is like a stone or tree in nature, live and breathing as compared to closed space in cities. It provokes philosophical reflection on existence and memory.”
