The 7th China Documentary Film Festival, organized by Fanhall Films, was held May 1-7 in the Songzhuang Art District on the outskirts of Beijing. 11 new documentaries were featured in the competiton, as well as several other films outside of competition and an international section featuring films from Japan, South Korea and Singapore. We will have some commentary on the festival proceedings in the coming days.
The Festival announced its awards for the following films (with citations by the jury in quotes):
Independent Spirit Award Spiral Staircase of Harbin (dir. Ji Dan)
A Harbin apartment complex is home to two broken households and fragile relationships between parents and teenage children in this pensive study of cross-generational conflict.
“Through her unadorned, everyday visual angle, the director shows us ordinary real life in China. In its conciseness and depth, the film truly has the energy of genuine tragedy.”
Jury Prize Fortune Teller (dir. Xu Tong)
“The story of a crippled fortune teller and his deaf-mute wife highlights the wit, compassion and compassion of (fortune teller) Li Baicheng. Xu Tong’s lively editing pace and intimate lens show how the pressure of progress pushes modern city folks to seek help from a traditional fortune teller.”
Excellent Documentary Award Martian Syndrome (dir. Xue Jianqiang)
A highly experimental first person account of the director’s relationship with his friend, who thinks he is a Martian.
“Happening through chance encounters, and resulting in images that are collage-like in content and form, the film takes us completely by surprise.”
Special Mentions
A Song of Love, Maybe (dir. Zhang Zanbo)
“Attempted from a young woman’s point of view, the film reveals her inner struggle between love and self-respect. The director also simultaneously uses his film to show how her life as a Karaoke waitress has transformed her entire way of communicating about feelings.”
Mouthpiece (dir. Guo Xizhi)
“Independent in its visual angle, the film provides a look at the inner workings of the government propaganda machine, revealing the intimate intertwining of the production of news, the director’s life, and the city of Shenzhen itself.”
More information about the festival can be found at Fanhall Films.
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