21 May 2022, Saturday | 13:00 – 14:00 BST via Zoom
Convenor:
Xiaolian Qiu, International Film Exhibition Curation Specialist, UK-China Film Collab
Panellists:
Zita Zhong, Film Curator, Programming and Marketing Manager of Broadway Cinematheque Shenzhen, China
Dr Bruce Chu, Lecturer in Film Studies, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Panel Description:
Foreign countries’ film exhibitions have been practised in cinemas in China for years, and there is a sophisticated model of organising non-Chinese films season led by arthouse cinema chains or film distribution associations. Showcases regarding French, Italian, and German films were regularly screened annually in China in the past few years. In the last several years, Chinese audiences also enjoyed large-scale Spanish film seasons, Finnish film exhibitions, Japanese film seasons, and even Brazilian film seasons in the cinemas. The organisational chain of foreign cinema showcases, together with audience groups has been well-developed by this special form of film screening, which gives foreign films that haven’t been officially screened or distributed in China another opportunity to meet today’s Chinese audiences.
The showcase of British films, however, compared with its’ fellow ‘western non-Hollywood cinemas’, are rarely screened in China. We can draw the conclusion that there hasn’t been a cross-city British film exhibition in China. This panel tries to analyse the rarity of British film exhibitions in China and disclose the underlying reasons by answering the following questions. How does a foreign country’s film exhibition happen; do British films have the potential, what kind of British film exhibition would be expected by Chinese audiences; what are the obstacles when organising a foreign film exhibition, what would be the most probable barrier if we organise a British cinema showcase?
*This panel will be conducted in Chinese, but open to audiences from all backgrounds to attend. Simultaneous interpretation available in English.
Simultaneous Interpretation Support:
Catalina, Master of Science in Modern and Contemporary Art
