Last night, the Asian Newcomers Section of the 26th Shanghai International Film Festival presented all six awards, with Chinese director Zeng Zhi winning the "Best Film" award for "Friday's Playground". Zeng Zhi recalled emotionally: "A few years ago, I saw a movie being played h

Last night, the Asian Newcomer Section of the 26th Shanghai International Film Festival awarded all six awards. Chinese director Zeng Zhi won the "Best Film" award for "This Friday's Playground". Zeng Zhi recalled emotionally: "A few years ago, I saw a movie being played here. When I came over to take a look, I found that it was the main venue of the Shanghai International Film Festival. A few years later, I actually crossed this road and came here. Arriving at this main venue is a big leap, which means that my film journey has really begun."

Picture: "This Friday's Playground" won the "Best Film" award

Discovery and. Cultivate new talents and new works

As Zeng Zhi said, in the 20 years since its establishment, from obscurity to intensive cultivation, the Asia New Unit has continuously discovered new film directors from China and other Asian countries and regions, and supported the new forces of Asian films. Now it has become an indispensable part of the Asian film industry. Important prizes overlooked. Many newcomers from various Asian countries and regions came here with their debut films, and received praise and affirmation, which strengthened their creative direction, and later grew into a leader in the film creation trend in their own country and region and even in Asia. This is what I am reviewing today The Asia-Singapore stage has irreplaceable significance. At the Golden Jue Forum (Asian Film Salon) a few days ago, director Li Xiaofeng shared his experience in filming his debut film " Girl Nezha " and said that although the bonus from the film festival cannot cover the entire production cost of a movie, if As a creator, your first funding comes from film festivals, which means a lot, “it gives you roots in the industry.”

Caption: Award Ceremony Scene

In fact, more and more new directors coming out of this platform and their works are recognized and accepted by the market, and even sought after. Director Ning Hao went from "Green Grass", which won "The Most Favorite Film among College Students", to the "Crazy" series that became popular all over the country; Directors Cao Baoping and Wanma Caidan went from participating in Asia New to becoming judges of this unit , the former became a great director of commercial genre films, and the latter made a unique national film shine in the world film industry. Many past winners have now emerged as trendsetters in the international film industry.

Support emerging Asian film forces

At the awards ceremony, a touching short film was played. In just three minutes, the three judges of the first Asian Newcomer Award in 2004 Huang Shuqin (famous Chinese director), David Bordwell (American film scholar), Tadao Sato (Japanese film historian), and the Asian Newcomer Award His old friends He Ping, Wanma Caidan, and Luo Qirui "met" everyone in turn. They are no longer here, but Yaxin, which was born and thrived under their witness, must be something they are pleased and fond of.

Caption: Short film played live

This year’s film festival has signed up for 314 works from 25 countries and regions to participate in the Asia New Area Awards, and the 11 shortlisted works are all world premieres. In the past 20 years, we have always encouraged emerging film markets in Asia and used our strength to promote the development of Asian films. Starting from 2015, in addition to best film and best director, the organizing committee has added new awards such as best actor and actress. Yaxin has received applications for debut films from Japanese directors who are nearly eighty years old, and has also awarded the "Best Actor" to a 10-year-old Chinese actor. With the continuous improvement of professionalism, Yaxin is as humble, inclusive and open-minded as the city where it is located, Shanghai. It welcomes all new creations and encourages all new ideas.

Last night, after all the awards were awarded, all the winners of this year’s Asian New Film Festival and all the judges took a group photo on stage. They were photographed by Luo Dong, the winner of the Best Director Award in the last Asian New Film Festival. But gradually, almost all the filmmakers in the Golden Jue Hall crowded onto the stage. Among the crowd were young faces, smiles of famous directors, eyes full of hope for the future, and firm brows after a long journey. , they have a common identity - good friends of the Yaxin unit. They shouted over and over again, "Twenty years of Yaxin, new power in film." (Xinmin Evening News reporter Sun Jiayin)

List of winners of the Asian Newcomer Unit