The Belt and Road Film Tour | Five Chinese Films Featured at the Miskolc International Film Festival in Hungary

From September 6 to September 14, the 20th Miskolc International Film Festival took place in Hungary. Under the recommendation of the Belt and Road Film Tour from Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF), four films – A LAND BEHIND, DAY TRIPPER, JOHNNY KEEP WALKING!, and MAY - were screened as part of the “China Focus” section. Additionally, BRIEF HISTORY OF A FAMILY was selected for the main competition. During the festival, Zhang Dan, the lead actress of A LAND BEHIND, and Lin Jianjie, the director of BRIEF HISTORY OF A FAMILY, were warmly welcomed to Hungary for face-to-face interactions with the local audience.

On the evening of September 11, the screening of A LAND BEHIND took place at the House of Arts, officially kicking off the “China Focus” section at the festival.

In the opening speech, Chen Guo, Director of Shanghai International Film & TV Festivals, Co., Ltd., expressed her excitement about the long-standing collaboration between SIFF and Miskolc International Film Festival. On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Hungary, she was pleased to bring five outstanding Chinese films of diverse themes, styles, and genres to Hungarian audiences. She stated, “I believe that through these screenings, Hungarian viewers will gain a better insight into the current landscape of Chinese filmmaking as well as the Chinese culture and society, thus fostering deeper cultural exchanges between two countries.”

A LAND BEHIND, written and directed by Yang Yishu and produced by Zhang Xianmin, features performances by Zhang Dan, Zhao Chuan, Feng Guo, Liu Zhilin, and others. The film tells a poignant story from a unique female perspective, set on a small island formed by sandbars in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. It portrays the struggles and setbacks of two generations of idealists and explores the relationship between land and people during the industrialization process. The film was previously nominated at SIFF PROJECT in 2021 and had its global premiere in the “REFRESHING CHINESE CINEMA” section during SIFF this year.

The film’s engaging and nuanced portrayal of reality captured the immense interest of the Hungarian audience, resulting in a nearly full theater on the screening day. Following the screening, the audience also participated in a lively discussion with Zhang Dan, raising numerous questions about the film’s details.

A Hungarian audience remarked, “A LAND BEHIND is a slow-paced film; you need to feel it and reflect on it. It like a profound poem, and I truly enjoyed it.” Zhang Dan, who portrayed the female lead, also shared amusing anecdotes from the filming process and addressed questions from the audience. Local media outlets, including MTV and Miskolc TV, covered the event.

On the evening of September 12, director Lin Jianjie presented his debut feature film, BRIEF HISTORY OF A FAMILY, in the main competition section. The film tells the story of the seemingly uneventful life of Tu Wei’s family, which is disrupted by a mysterious boy. It was previously shortlisted at SIFF PROJECT of the 21st SIFF in 2018, winning the “Best Young Director Project”, and has since been nominated at Sundance Film Festival and Berlin International Film Festival, receiving wide acclaim.

During the post-screening segment, Lin Jianjie had face-to-face discussions with the Hungarian audience. One audience member asked, “When creating BRIEF HISTORY OF A FAMILY, which is both simple and complex with discussions on friendship and family, as well as social observations, what did you find most challenging?” Lin Jianjie identified “how to construct this complexity” as the main challenge. He believes that the film innovates within the family genre and reshapes film types, “like a fable that allows different interpretations and discussion spaces for various audiences.”

In addition, films such as DAY TRIPPER, JOHNNY KEEP WALKING!, and MAY offered diverse representations of contemporary life in China. During the festival, the tickets of many of the Chinese films sold out quickly. Hungarian audience who are culture enthusiasts or Chinese language learners traveled from other cities to attend the screenings, sparking a surge of interest in Chinese cinema. Curated with care by SIFF, the “China Focus” section provided a dazzling cultural showcase for film lovers in Hungary.

As one of the first signatory member institutions of the Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance, the Miskolc International Film Festival takes place every September in Miskolc, Hungary’s third-largest city. Since its inaugural edition in 2004, it has become one of the most significant and beloved film festivals in Hungary.

SIFF and the Miskolc International Film Festival have maintained a strong partnership over the years, collaborating closely on film screenings and exchanges between filmmakers. Since 2017, the Miskolc International Film Festival has consistently showcased Chinese films recommended by SIFF. Films such as GIRLS ALWAYS HAPPY, KILL THE SHADOW, SHE, THE ROAD HOME, THE RETURN, and A FIRST FAREWELL have been screened at the Miskolc International Film Festival with the Belt and Road Film Tour initiative.

During the festival, the team from SIFF met with President Tibor Bíró and Chief Curator Péter Madaras of the Miskolc International Film Festival, along with representatives from the Cairo International Film Festival, including Artistic Director Essam Zakaria, as well as Katalin Vajda, Festival Manager at National Film Institute Hungary. Both parties reached a consensus on further enhancing communication among the member institutions of the Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance for deepened cooperation in areas such as mutual film recommendations and filmmaker exchanges, and plan to have a Hungarian film exhibition in Shanghai in the future.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Hungary. The Belt and Road Film Tour at SIFF has brought a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the current landscape of Chinese cinema to Hungarian audiences and film professionals. It presented a true, complete, and multi-dimensional view of contemporary China, laying a solid foundation for multi-faceted and further cultural exchange and cooperation between the two countries in the future.

In recent years, leveraging the unique platform of the Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance, SIFF’s Belt and Road Film Tour has continually supported the “going out” strategy for Chinese films and filmmakers. This initiative has established a year-round screening and global exhibition mechanism, inviting outstanding domestic films and relevant filmmakers to participate in international film festivals, further promoting cultural exchange between Chinese and foreign cinema, and presenting a true, multi-dimensional, and comprehensive view of China to the world. The Belt and Road Film Tour provides an effective way for countries to understand Chinese filmmakers and the Chinese film industry, facilitating the international presence of Chinese cinema.

The Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance was initiated by the organizing committee of SIFF and established in 2018. It currently comprises 55 member institutions from 48 countries.