Odyssey 2023’s Glasgow GALA Screenings will arrive at the Glasgow Film Theatre with 5 films on 8th and 11th June, focusing on the debate of ‘Global Sustainability’.
POSSIBLY THE MOST DARING PROGRAMME IN GLASGOW THIS SUMMER – don’t miss this rare opportunity to be the first audience in the country to watch the latest world cinema from Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, the region of Taiwan. What do young filmmakers have to say about urban development, equality, and environment?
In its 3rd edition, UK based independent film festival Odyssey: a Chinese cinema season celebrates ‘Global Sustainability’ as its main theme this year, responding to the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It has 5 main strands for the festival programme comprising both online & offline screenings. They include “JOURNEY”, “EQUALITY”, “BIODIVERSITY”, “ENVIRONMENT” and “URBAN DEVELOPMENT”.
Most Odyssey 2023 official selections coming to Glasgow will make their debut appearance in the UK, exclusively at the Glasgow Film Theatre.
Odyssey 2023 Glasgow GALA Screening Programme
Thursday 8 June | 20: 10
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2049 + Voice of Rebirth + Shorts
UK PREMIERE
Director: Chun-Hsu Su
Region: Taiwan
Year of Production: 2021
Language: Mandarin with English subtitles
Running Time: 1h12m
Genre: Animation
Synopsis
After discovering his grandfather urgently needs money for surgery, temple youth Wei strikes on an enterprising idea to wring the much-needed funds from property developers eager to purchase his grandfather’s temple and turn it into housing.
Entering a not-entirely-honest relationship with Rainy, a girl opposed to community reconstruction, the pair submit the temple for historical landmark status and engage in everything from performing traditional religious ceremonies, to participating in global singing and dancing competitions to enrich the cultural importance of the site.
As their relationship grows over time, they also find themselves torn between family, friendship, and even love.
Two shorts from Mainland China will be shown before the feature as a bonus.
The New World: Variations on Stay-home Activities
Director: Hong Ning (Co-directed with Zhao Xiaofeng)
Year of Production: 2020
Country: China
Running Time: 2m
Genre: Animation
Synopsis
In 2020, most residents on the planet were forced to live indoors for days and months due to the epidemic, which influenced everyone’s work and life to some extent. In this isolation, as people looked to find new ways of entertainment and exercise at home, many turned to the Internet and started to show and share their lives, indoors and in their own way.
KIDS
UK PREMIERE
Director: Yuzhuang Jiang
Year of Production: 2022
Country: China
Language: Mandarin with English subtitles
Running Time: 27m,
Genre: Drama
Do the creatures you believe in in childhood disappear when you grow up? Do they not exist, or are they just visible to children? KIDS poignantly explores what happens when we learn the truth about our childhood fantasies.
Thursday 11 June | 14:45
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Boonie Bears: Guardian Code
GLASGOW PREMIERE
Directors: Yongchang Lin, Heqi Shao
Year of Production: 2023
Country: China
Language: English
Running Time: 1h34m
Genre: Animation
Synopsis
Briar and Bramble lose their mother at a very young age due to mysterious circumstances. Many years later, when an older female bear shows up on the scene, the Bear Brothers are determined to find out the truth once and for all.
INHERITANCE
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
Director: Allen Wing Loon Kai
Year of Production: 2023 | Running Time: 5m
Region: Hong Kong SAR, China
Language: Cantonese with English subtitles
Genre: Animation
Synopsis
A short animation from Hong Kong will be shown before the feature. Inheritance is a sweet story about an elderly master passing his knowledge of the art and philosophy of Go to a young child.
ONLINE SCREENING PROGRAMME NOW ALSO AVAILABLE.
ABOUT ODYSSEY 2023
Cinema is where people connect.
60+ films, masterclasses, discussion panels and exclusive Q&As.
Odyssey is the biggest annual film festival in the UK, bridging curious audience with Greater China and overseas Chinese communities. The theme for 2023 is ‘Global Sustainability’.
Presented by UK-China Film Collab (UCFC)
Festival Date: 26 May – 30 June 2023
Format: Offline in Person and Online via Shift 72
Festival Website: odysseychinesecinema.uk
Instagram & Twitter Handle: @odysseyccs
Hashtags: #globalsustainability #odyssey2023 #ukchinafilm #peace
