Tomorrow is the last day of the Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF). Whitewall, for the first time, had a presence at the festival last week and interviewed a few of the major players in the fast growing Beijing film industry. First up, Zhao Zhiyong, the Deputy Director of BJIFF.
WHITEWALL: What are the highlights of this years’ film festival compared with the event last year? What films and filmmakers are coming to the event?
WW: 和上届电影节相比，请您介绍本届电影节主要有哪些亮点？有哪些中外 优秀影片和影人将在本届电影节中亮相?
Zhao Zhiyong: Beijing International Film Festival (BIFF) is a government-supported event that aims to build up China’s presence in the international film arena and encouraging joint efforts in film production. It is an international, professional, innovative, high-end and market-oriented festival which forms an important part in Beijing’s plan to become China’s culture center of world influence.
赵志勇:北京国际电影节是由国家广播电影电视总局、北京市人民政府主办，国家 广播电影电视总局电影管理局、北京市广播电影电视局承办;是国际性、专业 性、创新性和高端化、市场化的大型电影活动；也是中国电影走向世界和中外 电影交流合作的重要平台；更是北京加快建设具有世界影响力的文化中心城市 和中国特色社会主义先进文化之都的重要文化活动。
First, the newly launched competition unit of the Temple of Heaven Award sets out to explore a core value of “unity of human and nature and shared aesthetics of the globe.” Quality films from different countries will compete in a fair game with international perspective and first class standards. The award is expected to be the soul of BIFF, and a significant element to gain international influence.
在影人方面，俄罗斯著名导演尼基塔·米哈尔科夫也将作为第三届北京国际 电影节“天坛奖”国际评奖委员会主席现身本届电影节。众所周知，主竞赛单元 “天坛奖”评奖作为北京国际电影节新增的主体活动，备受外界关注。电影节组 委会在认真听取多方建议并慎重考虑之后，向尼基塔·米哈尔科夫先生发出真诚 的邀请。尼基塔·米哈尔科夫曾三度担任俄罗斯电影委员会主席，2005年米哈尔 科夫受第58届戛纳电影节组委会邀请，担任该届电影节短片竞赛单元和电影基 金会单元的评委会主席。 2008年东京第21届东京国际电影节，米哈尔科夫获 得黑泽明终身成就奖。相信以他的阅历以及对电影的深刻理解，必将带领评委 团对“天坛奖”各奖项给出一个公正合理的答案。
In terms of participating filmmakers, prestigious Russian director Nikita Mikhalkov will be present at the festival as the president of the Temple of Heaven Award jury. Nikita Mikhalkov was elected three times the President of the Russian Society of Cinematographists, and invited by the Organizing Committee of the 58th Cannes Film Festival in 2005 to be the Jury Chairman for the film festival’s short-film competition section and the movie foundation. At the 21st Tokyo International Film Festival, he was awarded the Akira Kurosawa Award for Lifetime Achievement in Film Directing. We believe that his rich experience and deep understanding of films will definitely provide a fair eye to the jury and make wise decision in selecting the winners of the Temple of Heaven Award.
WW: Tokyo International Film Festival and Pusan International Film Festival have already become international brands. What do you plan for Beijing International Film Festival towards internationalization?
WW: 从亚洲范围看，东京电影节和釜山电影节都已经成为国际品牌，北京电 影节对未来在打造国际电影节有何打算?
ZZ: It takes years of accumulation before a brand is finally built. As far as a film festival is concerned, the key lies in the quality of the event. To ensure quality, our goal for the festival is to catch up with international standard, reveal Chinese characteristic as well as a Beijing style by stressing originality and improving our level and service. Relying on the experience in the past two years, we have established an operating framework for the organization, which meets realistic requirements and proves to be scientific and highly efficient. It has laid a good foundation for the event’s future development.
赵志勇:品牌的形成需要有长时期的品质累积效应，就电影节来说，关键是办节质 量。为此，我们按照国际水平、中国特色、北京风格的办节总目标，着力强化 创新意识，不断提高办节水平和服务质量。通过前两届的举办，我们已经找到 并建立了一套符合实际需求、更加科学高效的组织运作模式，这为北京国际电 影节的未来发展奠定了良好基础。下一步，我们将围绕不断提高五个方面的影 响力下功夫：
