What kind of surprise awaits us when a “golden panda” appears in the historically charming Lumicang Hutong in Beijing?
On the afternoon of September 20, the Golden Panda Film and Television Culture Salon, themed “Promoting Communication and Mutual Learning through Film and Television”, kicked off in Lumicang Hutong, Dongcheng District, Beijing. This event is part of the 2024 Beijing Culture Forum, organized by the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies in collaboration with the Executive Committee Office of the Golden Panda Awards.
“Golden Panda” Mascot
Irina Bokova, Former Director-General of UNESCO, delivered the opening remarks. Yang Chenghu, Vice Dean of the School of Arts & Communication at Beijing Normal University, presided over the roundtable forum. He engaged in a discussion with notable figures including Jacques Malaterre, a renowned producer and director from France and member of the final jury for the first Golden Panda Awards; Fang Li, a prominent Chinese producer, executive producer, and scriptwriter; Ren Peng, head of strategic investment at Perfect World and vice president of the company; Bai Tao, a director from China; Han Dong, a Chinese actor; Xia Meng, Vice President of the China Documentary Association; and Li Xingwen and Tan Fei, directors of the China Film Critics Association. Together, they explored how film and TV art can transcend boundaries to foster mutual understanding and respect among different civilizations and pool collective wisdom to invigorate the sustainable development of the Golden Panda Awards.
At the salon, “golden panda” mascots are found everywhere. These round, lively pandas, with their charmingly naive expressions, shine brightly with golden hue along their outlines. All Chinese and foreign guests stopped to take a closer look at these lovely panda mascots and take photos with them.
Scene of the Salon
The promotional video “Encounter” for the “Golden Panda” showcased the highlights of three major events from 2023: the first Golden Panda International Cultural Forum, the Golden Panda Awards Ceremony, and Golden Panda Night, along with three side activities. This gave both Chinese and foreign guests the opportunity to experience the charm of light and shadow and infinite possibilities of the “Golden Panda” firsthand.
At the beginning of her speech, Irina Bokova praised the Golden Panda Awards as a significant international cultural event, aiming to promote cultural exchanges and build a global community with a shared future through film and TV works, using giant pandas as cultural symbols. Irina Bokova also acknowledged the current status and achievements of China’s film and TV industry. She noted that China has enthusiastically embraced the digital age, making extensive use of virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence in film and TV production. Additionally, China’s impressive box office revenue serves as a significant driving force for the global film industry. At the same time, Irina Bokova emphasized that while box office revenue is an important indicator of film development, it should not overshadow the cultural and social significance of cinema. “In this era of cultural diversity, films should serve a greater purpose by reflecting people’s daily lives and emotional aspirations, as well as nurturing cultural and spiritual values,” she said. She believes that the salon and the “Golden Panda” will inspire film creators in China and around the world to achieve even greater success.
Roundtable Forum
At the roundtable forum, renowned filmmakers Jacques Malaterre and Xia Meng shared how they tell China’s stories through documentaries. They explored the similarities and differences in film and TV works across various cultural contexts, exchanged insights on promoting the exchange of screen cultures with light and shadow as a medium, and encouraged more young directors to tell cross-cultural stories.
How can we fully leverage the characteristics, traditions, and strengths of the Golden Panda Awards? How to tell China’s story well through the Golden Panda Awards? How to convey the world’s stories to China? Wang Yan, Head of National Geographic Branded Content and Partnership, gave her suggestions: to pursue co-creation, empathy and resonance; embrace diverse cultures; cultivate talent teams, particularly among young people; and strengthen and spread the impact of screenings and global reach within the awards competition.
Take the TV drama Happiness Juncao as an example. Director Bai Tao and actor Han Dong briefed the guests on the implementation of cross-cultural film and TV cooperation programs. They also shared their insights on how to achieve innovation in both content and form while preserving cultural characteristics. This TV drama, focusing on international cooperation in Juncao technology, narrates the remarkable journey of this technology spreading to the world. Specifically, China, committed to building a global community with a shared future, sends technical teams to promote Juncao cultivation, industrial development, and technology promotion in other countries, ultimately helping these nations achieve prosperity.
Li Xingwen suggested that the Golden Panda Awards should establish more effective platforms and channels for both “bringing in” and “going global” to foster greater interaction and resonance with the global community. He said, “I hope the Golden Panda Awards can draw inspiration from the Cannes Film Festival and the Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FILMART) by hosting events abroad. This would help expand its international influence and facilitate more meaningful two-way exchanges between ‘bringing in’ and ‘going global’.”
Ren Peng is concerned with how Chinese film and TV practitioners can highlight the uniqueness of Chinese and Eastern cultures while providing cultural products to audiences worldwide. He believes that, across different cultural contexts, human beings basically face common life themes. These themes are worth sharing, as they resonate universally.
Fang Li talked about the filming of his documentary The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru. He candidly stated, “Everyone around me think that I am not making a movie, but creating a memento of life. We have captured the joys and sorrows of so many families, preserving their stories in history and ensuring their voices are heard by the whole world.”
Tan Fei believes that all the film and TV works shared today, including those that are going global, have one important thing in common: Chinese filmmakers have genuinely embraced local perspectives rather than viewing people and things solely from a Chinese standpoint. “They communicate with local people on an equal footing. I think all foreign exchanges should be conducted with this principle of equality!”
Culture is the soul of a nation, while art is the wings of culture.
This cultural salon reflects a commitment and effort aimed at bringing together film and TV artists and practitioners from around the world through the influence of the “Golden Panda”. The goal is to collectively enhance artistic exchanges within the film and TV sector, creating more bridges and channels for communication. This will allow for the global achievements of film and TV art to be heard, seen, and experienced by a wider audience.
(Pictures provided by the organizer)