Odyssey: a Chinese cinema season – 60+ films in 8 curated sections, 10 discussion panels, exclusive Q&As and 4 awards. A not-to-be-missed festival in the UK to celebrate international cinema!
Foreign countries’ film exhibitions have been practised in cinemas in China for years, and there is a sophisticated model of organising a non-Chinese films season led by arthouse cinema chains or film distribution associations. Showcases regarding French, Italian, and German films have been annually screened in China in the past few years. Chinese audiences also enjoyed large-scale Spanish film seasons, Finnish film exhibitions, Japanese , and even Brazilian film seasons in the cinemas in the last several years. The organisational chain of foreign cinema showcases, together with audience groups have been well-developed by this special form of film screening, which gives foreign films that haven’t been officially screened or distributed in China another opportunity to meet today’s Chinese audiences.
The showcase of British films, however, compared with its’ fellow ‘western non-Hollywood cinemas’, is rarely screened in China. We can draw the conclusion that there hasn’t been a cross-city British film exhibition in China. It is, indeed, an intriguing phenomenon since:
- Generally, British films should be more approachable for the Chinese audience in terms of language and culture compared to European films, which points out the possible market potential.
- The network of resources and distribution channels are relatively sophisticated, which means a British cinema showcase might be a readily-available, easily-pitched idea. So, what are the reasons behind this phenomenon? Why has a British cinema showcase not happened as we would have expected?
This panel tries to analyse the rarity of British film exhibitions in China and disclose the underlying reasons by answering:
- How does a foreign country’s film exhibition occur?
- Do British films have the potential and what kind of British film exhibition would be expected by Chinese audiences?
- What are the obstacles when organising a foreign film exhibition and what would be the most probable barrier if we organise a British cinema showcase?
*This panel will be conducted in English mainly. Contents in Chinese will be interpreted in English.
Running Order
- Topic and Guests Intro – 5 Mins
- Interview and Guests Discussion – 45 Mins
- Question and Answer session – 10 Mins
Date: 21 May 2022, Saturday | 13:00-14:00 pm BST (20:00-21:00 pm CN time)
Format: Online Panel Discussion via Zoom
Register here.
Panelists:
Zita Zhong
The Programming and Marketing Manager of Broadway Cinematheque Shenzhen, is a professional and experienced foreign cinema exhibition curator and organiser in China. She is also an experienced film producer for documentaries and feature films, who led the production of the documentaries Travel Around the World in 80 Days and The Search for China’s Blue Hole, and the feature film, My Dear Friend. Zita is strongly devoted to the charity sector. She used to work for NGOs in India and Mauritius.
Dr Bruce Chu
Bruce has been a Lecturer at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA) since 2018. He received a PhD in film studies from the Communication University of China. From 2017 to 2018, Bruce worked as a PhD student supervised by Prof. Dina Iordanova at the University of St Andrews in the UK. His research areas cover action films, Chinese modernism films and transnational cinema.
Convenor:
Xiaolian Qiu
Xiaolian Qiu holds a Master’s degree in Creative and Cultural Industries Management from the University of Sheffield. She is now the International Film Curation Specialist of the UK-China Film Collab.
Contact Information：
Email: xiaolian.qiu@ukchinafilm.uk
A Special Thanks to Our Simultaneous Interpretation Support Team:
Catalina
Master of Science in Modern and Contemporary Art, University of Edinburgh
10 Discussion Panels at Odyssey
Industry-focused panels were the highlight of Odyssey. This year we have prepared another 10 new topics – all designed to explore film-related collaborations between the UK and Greater China:
Panel 1: TwinFlame: the receptions of British cinema among a Chinese audience
Panel 2: A new exploration of UK-China co-production film
Panel 3: Women’s practice in the contemporary Chinese film industry: female film programmers on the rise
Panel 4: Potentials and Obstacles for British cinema showcase in China
Panel 5: Chinese regional cinemas
Panel 6: Global sustainability as a storytelling strategy for non-Hollywood films
Panel 7: Future development of Chinese animation industry and international collaboration
Panel 8: An investigation into current press coverages of Chinese-language films in the UK
Panel 9: New business ideas and model for UK-China film collaboration
Panel 10: New distribution strategies for Chinese films in the UK
About Odyssey
Odyssey aims to empower a shared appreciation of film, to create an inclusive cinematic experience, and to encourage cross-cultural understanding. From 10th May to 10th June 2022, with more than 60 films in 8 curated sections, 10 panel discussions and many inspiring Q&A sessions, we will bring you a whole month of outstanding and innovative Chinese cinema that promises to illuminate your mind. The festival will not only introduce the latest young Chinese film talents to the UK audience, but also provide forums for professionals to exchange creativity and business ideas.
Odyssey will take place in a hybrid format in 2022. The opening film screening will be hosted in person by our venue partner, the Picturehouse Cinemas, in London and Edinburgh on 10th May with a reception. Most of the programme will be available online for all audiences across the country, and we will also organise several pop-up special cinema screenings throughout. The online festival platform of Odyssey will be powered by Shift 72.
ODYSSEY’S HEADLINE SPONSOR
Who is our Headline Sponsor this year? – Your most reliable renting company in London!
Azad Ayub Limited is a multi-national award-winning property management and development company, founded by investor, entrepreneur and philanthropist Azad Ayub who has a background in international civil engineering. The company owns and manages properties in North London and has been providing high-quality houses to its clients for over 30 years. Recently the company’s portfolio has expanded to Spain, Pakistan and the USA.
Apart from his property business, Azad has been generously giving back to society as a reputable philanthropist. He is a keen supporter of some of the most prestigious charities in the UK, including Able Child Africa, Lord Mayor’s Appeal Charity, Television for the Environment (Trustee), Royal Institute (Patron) and many more.
We would like to thank Mr Azad Ayub for his generous support toward our Odyssey journey.
Related Information
Keep yourself updated with our upcoming exciting programme announcements by following our social media accounts!
Festival Date: 10th May – 10th June 2022
Format: Offline in London, Edinburgh, and Online via Shift 72
Presented by UK-China Film Collab
Festival Website: odysseychinesecinema.uk
Festival Instagram & Twitter: odysseyccs
For Press Enquiry Please Contact
Liao Zhang
Lead of Public Relations
Email: liao.zhang@ukchinafilm.uk
WeChat: LZ_Gloria
