Nine young Asian filmmakers vie for festival\'s new talent accolades

Nine works by young filmmakers from Asia are vying for the Asian New Talent Award. Pic by Shi Peiqi

Nine works by young filmmakers from Asia are vying for the Asian New Talent Award at the ongoing 17th Shanghai International Film Festival. The awards ceremony will be held on June 20.

Cui Jian, who is called China\'s \'godfather\' of rock music, brings his first feature film, titled Blue Bone, to the competition. The movie, spanning from the cultural revolution (1966-76) to the present day, depicts the joys and sorrows of the older generation and the passion of today\'s youngsters for music.

Producer Yin Gang said the movie is musician Cui\'s attempt at depicting a cultural crossover. Shot from the perspective of musicians, it is a film with a very distinctive flavor.

Japan\'s Tetsuichiro Tsuta offers local movie buffs a beautiful film, The Tale of Iya, which is about seasonal changes in Japan\'s mountain landscapes.

"It is a small-budgeted production shot on 35mm film," said Tsuta. "I try to explore the relationship between nature and human beings and raise people\'s awareness of environmental protection."

"Shanghai is also the first Chinese city to screen this movie," he added

Concrete Clouds by Thai filmmaker Lee Chatametikool is set to the backdrop of the 1997 Asian financial crisis.

"I wanted to portray the love of a couple who get through this difficult time," said Chatametikool.

Wu Gang, who used to be a tour guide, makes his directorial debut with the comedy film No Smoking.

Filmmaking is Wu\'s self-admitted dream and he is thrilled that it has come to reality. The film features the poetic landscapes and folk culture of China\'s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Iranian director Reza Dormishian has submitted to competition the thought-provoking film I\'m not Angry.

It tells the story of Navid, an expelled university student who tries not to get angry when he is faced with the immoralities prevalent in society. He does all he can to provide the basic requirements for a normal life and hold onto his love.

Other nominees include Japanese film Homeland, Indian production Dragonfly, South Korean work Ten Minutes and Iranian movie Angels Descend Together.

Over recent years the Asian New Talent Award, an important program of the festival, has discovered a number of gifted film directors and brought them to the world stage.