Audiences at the New Wave New Film event Photo: Courtesy of the event

New Wave New Film, a film project that aims to support outstanding young filmmakers in China and promote the development of commercial genre productions within the Chinese film industry held an event between October 15 to 17 at Aranya, a seaside holiday destination in north China's Hebei Province known for its cultural and artistic ambience. 

The film event which showcased more than 40 finalists films such as A Lucid Dream, Goatee, Marriage on the Border, In the Name of Tree and Love Found Love Lost touched audiences by popularizing the works of young Chinese filmmakers and their unique perspectives on social change and everyday life. 

"I really enjoy the short film Marriage on the border because of the story about the struggle between the two loved one's different upbringing background are so common in our everyday lives. I like how the director tells a story about this 'small problem', and I think the director's way of storytelling is both romantic but realistic," Yasi, an audience at the event told the Global Times.  

At the event, the film project also revealed a total of 21 awards across three sections of the main competition unit, the short film unit, and 'good story' section. Wang Yanhui, a respected Chinese actor who was part of the young director Li Yue's film- A Lucid Dream won the title of the "Best Actor." 

"I'm very happy for him that he can win the title, as a famous actor who has participated in many popular works, I do appreciate his performance in my film, even if it was just a graduate's final project…" A Lucid Dream's director Li Yue said at the event. 

Li told the Global Times that as a young filmmaker, she would never imagine a famous actor would be willing to be part of her graduation film project. But after discussing the script with Wang, the actor was touched by her stories, their similar sentiment to their hometown Kunming, in Southwest China' Yunnan Province, so he accepted Li's offer, giving her encouragement to continue her career as a female director. 

"Not only has the industry wanted to see the diversity provided by emerging filmmakers, the industry insiders who are faithful to the art of film would also be willing to collaborate with the new generation," Zhang, a producer at the event told the Global Times. 

Apart from the young artists' films, the biggest surprise of the event was the much anticipated 2021 Sci-fi blockbuster Dune which received an early screening during the event. Famous actor Du Jiang, and Chinese film director, the popular "Detective Chinatown" film series' creator Chen Sicheng were notable figures in the audience at the film event.