Chinese cinema on show overseas
Aiming to further foster cultural exchanges, film lineups representing Shanghai’s film industry and embodying the dynamic spirit of Chinese culture have been showcased in Germany and South Korea.
The “Pearl of the Silk Road — Shanghai Film Week in Duisburg” took place from March 27 to 31 in Duisburg, Germany. Under the auspices of the Shanghai Film Administration and the Chinese ConsulateGeneral in Dusseldorf, the event was co-hosted by the Shanghai Film Distribution and Exhibition Association and the Association of German-China Societies.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to the Port of Duisburg. To celebrate the city’s role in bolstering China-Germany and China-Europe cooperation, the five-day event featured
eight Chinese domestic films that represent Shanghai’s film industry or showcase the city’s charm — Pegasus and Pegasus 2, Home Coming,
Chang An, B for Busy, I Am What I Am, Godspeed, and A Writer’s Odyssey.
Traversing various genres such as traditional culture, comedy, romance, fantasy, sports, and animation, the film lineup embodies the dynamic spirit of contemporary China, the cosmopolitan allure of Shanghai, and the enduring charm of traditional Chinese culture.
With more than 1,000 representatives in attendance, the film week kicked off with Pegasus 2, a film produced in Shanghai.
Directed by the young Chinese filmmaker Han Han, this adrenalinefueled tale centers around the journey of Zhang Chi, a resilient racing driver who defies the odds to reclaim his spot on the podium.
Dubbed the Chinese version of The Fast and the Furious, the film raked in a whopping 3.4 billion yuan ($470.5 million) at the box office and attracted nearly 68 million cinemagoers nationwide since its release during the past Spring Festival holiday in February.
In South Korea, to commemorate the 31st anniversary of the sister city relationship between Shanghai and Busan, the Shanghai Film Festival in Busan 2024 was inaugurated on Mar 30 at CGV Cinemas in Busan.
Under the auspices of Shanghai Film Administration and the Chinese Consulate General in Busan and co-hosted by the Shanghai Film Distribution and Exhibition Association and South Korea’s CJ CGV, the 10-day festival features five movies — Pegasus, Pegasus 2, Godspeed, Chang An, and B for Busy.
The films featured in this event not only showcase the talent and creativity of China’s new-generation directors to Korean audiences but also illuminate the vast potential for collaboration and exchange between Shanghai and Busan within the film industry, according to the organizers.