The only competition strand for Odyssey 2023 is now calling for film submissions. Are you a company that has been contributing to global sustainability and SDGs? Do you have a short film which tells that story? It is not enough to have green businesses. We need sustainable entrepreneurship.
Presented by UK-China Film Collab, Odyssey is the largest film festival in conversation with Greater China and overseas Chinese communities in the UK. The 2023 edition will take place between May and June.
Odyssey celebrates ‘Global Sustainability’ as our main theme this year. Responding to the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we will have 5 main strands this year for festival screening, with a new competition category “Sustainable Corporate Culture”.
Vision
The “Sustainable Corporate Culture” Film Award is the only competition part of the Odyssey: a Chinese cinema season 2023. The award aims to recognise outstanding achievements of Chinese and Chinese-funded enterprises in visualising and promoting their unique sustainable corporate cultures, by using film as a medium while working towards the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The award aims to establish a unique bridge of cooperation between Chinese enterprises and the international community, jointly awaking and promoting both the concept and actions of global sustainable development.
Mission
Through this special competition, Odyssey 2023 aims to inspire and encourage more Chinese and Chinese-funded enterprises around the world to share their sustainable corporate culture and practices through the medium of short films.
1.3 International Exposure
1) The shortlisted films will be showcased online for one month on the official Odyssey festival platform (odysseychinesecinema.uk).
2) All shortlisted films will be recommended by the organising committee to the Chinese Embassy in the UK and institutions such as the China-Britain Business Council, to be considered as outstanding demonstrations of sustainable corporate cultures.
3) All shortlisted films will be given priority consideration for the 2023 tve Global Sustainability Film Awards, to be presented by tve in November 2023.
4) Award-winning short films will be recommended as case studies for business courses related to sustainable development in UK universities.
5) Award-winning short films will be showcased at the awards ceremony and closing gala of the film festival, while shortlisted works will be mentioned and showcased as clips.
6) Award-winning short films will receive dedicated international news coverage and be reported as case studies which are planned by the organising committee.
7) Award-winning short films will be selected to showcase at the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 28) by our international partners.
Sample Films
These are award winning films from the Global Sustainability Film Awards in 2022, presented by tve, Odyssey’s Official Jury Partner.
Awards Ceremony/Odyssey 2023 Closing Gala
Location: Cambridge
Time: June 30th 2023
The “Sustainable Corporate Culture” Film Awards Night will take place at the “Odyssey 2023” film festival’s Closing Ceremony. It will be a night of celebrating joint success, drawing inspiration from the Global Sustainable Development vision and progress around the world, exchanging ideas, and enjoying the beauty of film.
International Jury Panel
The film festival has invited prestigious and experienced organisations as well as experts in the fields of social responsibility corporations, sustainable development, environment, social and governance (ESG), green and low-carbon initiatives, corporate management, film, and communication to form the international panel of judges.
Their decision will be final and binding for all.
UK-based Supporting Jury Organisations:
- tve (Television for the Environment)
- Trinity CineAsia
China-based Supporting Jury Organisations:
- China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation
- Beijing Rongzhi Corporate Social Responsibility Research Institute
Awards
(1) Best Sustainable Corporate Culture Film Award
Films which responded to the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, demonstrated the uniqueness of sustainable corporate culture, and proficiently used film language and techniques to target audiences in a way that is easy to understand and can be widely disseminated.
This includes but is not limited to the following sub-categories:
- Best Sustainable Finance Film
- Best Sustainable Energy Film
- Best Sustainable Infrastructure Film
- Best Sustainable Supply Chain Film
- Best Climate Change Mitigation Film
- Best Promotion of Educational Equality Film
- Best Diversity and Inclusion Film
- Best Poverty Alleviation and Rural Development Film
- Best Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Film
- Best Sustainable Innovation Film
(2) Best Production Award
Films which demonstrated excellent performance in film production such as art design, post-production, photography technology, etc., while presenting a unique style that created a deep impression on the audiences.
(3) Best Storytelling Award
Films which demonstrated excellent storytelling techniques while presenting sustainable corporate culture through its concept and narrative.
(4) Best SMEs Film Award
This award recognises the visualisation, sharing, and discussion of sustainable development exploration by small and medium-sized enterprises.
(5) Best Independent Producer Award
This Award is for global and Chinese film and media students and individuals who presented unique perspectives on sustainable culture and practices through their films.
Judging Process and Criteria
Final Submission Deadline: May 31st 2023
1st round of judging: All short films will undergo the first round of judging, where they will be screened in each of the five competition categories.
2nd round of judging: Five finalists will be selected for each category and subcategory. The finalists will be announced on social media channels.
3rd round of judging: Company or individual representatives will present and answer questions about their film, and international expert judges will provide feedback and suggestions. The company will then modify and resubmit its film.
Final selection: Following a strict and transparent selection process, a winning film will be selected for each category. After debating the strengths and weaknesses of each competitor, the judges will determine the winners through anonymous voting.
Awards Ceremony: The winning films will be announced and screened at the Odyssey 2023 film festival’s Closing Ceremony in Cambridge on June 30, 2023.
Judging Criteria
The judging panel will evaluate entries based on the following three criteria:
(1) Relevance to global sustainable development issues: Does the film address information related to the United Nations’ 17 sustainable development goals? Does it effectively illustrate the unique aspects of corporate sustainability culture?
(2) Effectiveness of international communication: How effective is the film in attracting and engaging target audiences and utilising the potential of visual media? Does it effectively communicate information to target audiences of different backgrounds worldwide and achieve the intended impact?
(3) Creativity and technical execution in filmmaking: How well does the film showcase its creativity and technical execution in areas such as storytelling, visual effects, cinematography, and post-production?
Eligibility
The call for submissions is open to all companies with UK-China trade interests, schools, non-profit organisations, charitable organisations, or individuals who have produced any type of film or short film documenting their contributions to and research on the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. If your film is selected, we reserve the right to choose the date and time of its screening.
Originality: All entries must be original works, with the submitter as the legal owner of the copyright and must not be involved in any intellectual property disputes. If necessary, relevant certification or authorization must be provided as required by the organiser.
Format: Entries must be submitted digitally via FilmFreeway. Films selected for the festival must submit a DCP or high definition mov./mp4 format for theatrical screenings and online screenings, respectively.
Subtitles: All submitted films must have English subtitles.
Submission
Deadline: May 31st, 2023
Please fill out the application form both in Chinese and English and submit it via email to: odysseycampaign@ukchinafilm.uk.
Email Subject: “Odyssey 2023 Competition Submission”
Film Submission: please submit your film to the festival’s official submission channel.
Competition fee: The entry fee is £200 per entry for each company (multiple entries are allowed). Payment can be made online via the festival’s official platform, with receipts and invoices provided
Rules and Conditions
The UK-China Film Collab (UCFC) and the film festival comply with the GDPR regulations set by the European Union. If selected, the film party is responsible for submitting the source files for the film’s screening online or offline at least 28 days prior to the screening date. The festival reserves the right to use excerpts and materials from participating works for promotional purposes.
About our Supporting Jury Organisations
The China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) was established in 1985. CBCGDF is a national public welfare and public fundraising foundation approved by the State Council, under the supervision of the China Association for Science and Technology and registered by the Ministry of Civil Affairs. It is also one of the first 16 charitable organisations nationwide to be recognized as a public fundraising organisation since the implementation of the Charity Law on September 1, 2016.
CBCGDF is an observer organisation of CITES and has long been committed to biodiversity conservation and green development. CBCGDF has formally established the “CBCGDF Media ” brand publicity matrix, with dozens of publicity platforms (including WeChat, Weibo, TikTok, etc.), realising video, live broadcast, and graphic communication in all areas. The total number of followers of CBCGDF’s brand promotion matrix is 2.3 million, reaching over 6.5 billion people, which is an outstanding performance in widespread science communication.
Rongzhiyun (Beijing) Technology Development Co., Ltd.
Founded by senior industry experts, Rongzhiyun (Beijing) Technology Development Co., Ltd. is a professional entity that provides knowledgeable management services. The founders and founding team comprise of senior professionals in the sectors of corporate social responsibility, ESG, low carbon, sustainable investment and financing, international brand operation, corporate compliance, country-based risk management, corporate culture development, etc. It provides authoritative and professional learning resources and intelligent interactive knowledge cloud platforms to governments, enterprises, public institutions, international organisations and educational facilities, helps enterprises with their knowledge management, promotes HR development and reform, improves organisational performances and scientifically enables the sustainable development of enterprises.
Rongzhiyun’s classical courses of sustainable capability development for enterprises include carbon neutralisation and sustainable development course; ESG sustainable development course; green financing sustainable development course; international enterprise operation and brand promotion; overseas operating risk management for enterprises, etc. It has trained a total of more than 20,000 people so far. Its “Sustainable Development and Carbon Neutralisation Training Program” was displayed at the “China Corner” of the 27th UN Climate Change Conference and was highly recognized by the experts.
tve (Television for the Environment)
tve, the originator of the BBC-related film and television project, was established in 1984 by the United Nations Environment Programme, WWF UK, and Central Television to utilise the power of film storytelling to drive real-world change towards a sustainable future. tve produces and distributes films that inspire change in a global partnership, creating compelling content about the environment and development for audiences worldwide. The development-related content has reached 302 million households in 172 countries. After 39 years of accumulating image data, tve stands as the charity with the largest collection of visual data on climate change and environmental issues worldwide. Since 2021, UCFC has worked closely with tve and China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation to promote the Global Sustainability Film Awards in China. The Global Sustainable Film Awards were established in 2012 to acknowledge exceptional films from the commercial, non-profit, media, and creative sectors that inspire audiences to achieve a more sustainable future through real-world solutions. The participating companies in 2022 include BBC, Sky, VICE Media, Phoenix Film, Broxstar Productions Ltd, Henry Smith, Circulor, and more.
Trinity CineAsia, the UK’s largest Chinese language film distribution label, has achieved remarkable success in distributing Chinese language films. In 2022, Trinity CineAsia was responsible for distributing and promoting “Wandering Earth II” in the UK, which yielded phenomenal results for Chinese language films overseas. Trinity CineAsia’s filmography over the past five years includes box office hits such as “The Battle at Lake Changjin”, “Cloudy Mountain”, “The Eight Hundred”, “Youth”, “Pegasus”, “The Captain”, “Nezha: Birth of the Demon Child”, “Wolf Warriors 2”, and “Detective Chinatown Vol. 2”. Additionally, Trinity CineAsia has distributed a series of films starring Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen, and Chow Yun Fat, including the acclaimed “Ip Man”. They have also made several fruitful attempts at distributing art-house and genre films.
About the Organiser
The UK-China Film Collab (UCFC) is an NGO dedicated to promoting collaboration and exchange between the film industries of the UK and Greater China. The organisation was founded in 2020 by a Chinese scholar based in the UK and is currently the most influential non-governmental organisation in the UK promoting dialogue via films with Greater China.
In February 2023, the Founder of UCFC, Dr Hiu Man Chan was invited by King Charles III of the United Kingdom to attend a private reception held at Buckingham Palace, to recognise institutions and individuals who have made positive contributions to the UK.
Since 2021, UCFC has been hosting an annual film festival “Odyssey”, aiming to provide a platform for local audiences in the UK and Europe to access outstanding international films. Odyssey is currently the largest independent film festival project in the UK in conversation with Greater China.
This year’s film festival focuses on the theme of “Global Sustainability” and features five strands and one competition category. Over 60 films from around the world will be screened online and offline, along with 10 themed discussion panels and a series of exclusive interviews with filmmakers. The only competition category this year will focus on “Sustainable Corporate Culture”.
For General Enquiry: odysseycampaign@ukchinafilm.uk
