A City, A Festival to Breed People, Pave Path and Build Dream – Tribute Documentary Dreams of Light

“In the east, the sun rises and love spreads. Shanghai International Film Festival inherits stamina and confidence from this historic city and becomes a colorful and radiant city of dreams…” As the tribute to the 20th Shanghai International Film Festival, the documentary Dreams of Light and Shadow produced by SIFF Center held its Premiere Ceremony at the Silver Star Hall of Crowne Plaza Shanghai on the opening day of SIFF (June 17).

Director of Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture, Radio, Film & TV (SACRFT) Yu Xiufen, Deputy Director of SACRFT Wang Wei, Artistic Director of SACRFT Wu Xiaoming, Deputy Secretary of Communist Party Committee of Radio and Television Shanghai Yuan Lei, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of Shanghai International Cultural Communications Association Yu Huiyu, Director of Radio and Television Department of SACRFT You Haiyang, Managing Director of SIFF Center Fu Wenxia, Secretary of Party General Branch and Vice Director of East Movie Channel He Runtao and other leaders attended the ceremony and wished Dreams of Light and Shadow a success.

Documentary director， WU Zhihao

Deputy Secretary of Communist Party Committee of Radio and Television Shanghai, Yuan Lei

The documentary director Wu Zhihao was present with the crew to show their support. Apartment from the stories behind the scene, a 5-minute trailer of Dreams of Light and Shadow was also played during the activity, attracting hundreds of journalists from home and abroad.

It is known that centering on the development process of Shanghai International Film Festival from its founding till now, the documentary has, for the first time, comprehensively reviewed, systematically sorted out and reproduced the magnificent scroll spanning for 20 editions through precious images, solid interviews and sophisticated filming, especially for the cultural essence of SIFF as “Breed People, Pave Path and Build Dream”, which has been highly refined in the production.

Besides the documentary Dreams of Light and Shadow, Artistic Director of SACRFT Wu Xiaoming also introduced the overall celebration event of SIFF 20, which includes:

SIFF 20 “Dreams of Light and Shadow” Memorial Exhibition, which is to take place at over 20 venues in cinemas, shopping malls and railway stations across Shanghai;
During the Festival, the Line 2 of Shanghai Metro runs No. 236 Cultural Train;
“Dreams of Light and Shadow – SIFF 20” Symposium to discuss on how to better build up the international brand of SIFF and cultural icon of Shanghai;
Essay competition “Me and My Film Festival” focusing on The True, The Good and The Beautiful in Films.

Ⅰ. Root with profound ideas

Dreams of Light and Shadow, is an expression with attitude.

Producing the retrospective documentary for the 20 editions of SIFF, is not only to invite numerous filmmakers and fans to return to the time gallery and enumerate the unforgettable moments during the development of the Shanghai International Film Festival, but also aim to further clarify its mission, expand its international influence, strengthen its cohesion, enrich its professional connotation, and steady its cultural self-confidence.

Setting foot on “Film, is a silver dream”, the documentary depicts the development of the Shanghai International Film Festival from the very first edition. In the film, Breed People, Pave Path and Build Dream are the three key words.

Breed People, is to support emerging film talents. Through SIFF Project, Asian New Talent Award, Masters’ Studios Landing in Shanghai and a series of other effective initiatives, the Shanghai International Film Festival demonstrates how it is committed to becoming the propeller for young filmmakers to chase after dreams.

Pave Path, is to link up cultural exchange. Film & TV culture enjoys a unique advantage in promoting the countries along the “Belt and Road” to connect with each other, communicate in an in-depth manner, reach consensus and form joint forces. Adhering tightly to this key concept, the documentary recounts the major breakthroughs such as the first collaboration between SIFF and the “Belt and Road Initiative”, the transformation & upgrade of the “Belt and Road” program, the setup of “Belt and Road” Exhibition Pavilion at International Film & TV Market and the “Belt and Road” MOU signing among the representatives from the countries along.

Build Dream, is to well tell the Chinese stories. Generous and harmonious Chinese culture, philosophy, ideology, viewpoint and expression are the vital resources for Chinese film narrative, as well as the inherited kindling of Film Dream and Chinese Dream. Through the vivid and touching stories told by the filmmakers from home and abroad, the vision of “bring the splendid and gorgeous Chinese culture to the world stage” is passed on.

Ⅱ. Rejuvenate with quintessential culture

Dreams of Light and Shadow, is an expression with latitude.

The documentary runs for nearly 20 minutes, with five parts linking with each other and progressing layer by layer. Both representative historical materials and interviews with SIFF friends are included in the film, thus drawing a cultural thread that most “engraved with time and excited by dream” in accordance with the fundamental principle of SIFF

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Part 1 Cultural innovation to attract global filmmakers: the Shanghai International Film Festival becomes a cultural card of the city. Filmmakers from all over the world talk about film art and know new friends here.

Part 2 Lead the market, serve the industry and life: the clear and targeted poisoning drives the rapid growth of SIFF, especially the concept of serving the industry and life, which has become the beacon to illuminate the path to dream.

Part 3 Build nests to raise new generations: building dreams requires talents. Shanghai has been publishing new film policies in recent years, with an aim to do well in innovation and groundbreaking, particularly in being the incubator for rising film talents.

Part 4 Belt and Road Initiatives connect cultures: the Shanghai International Film Festival enthusiastically embraces the theme of the “Belt and Road Initiative”, demonstrating the high cultural consciousness and confidence of dream builders by creating many first-times.

Part 5 Deeply rooted in China to tell good Chinese stories: the Shanghai International Film Festival bears in mind that the most important “dream kernel” is to tell good Chinese stories, push Chinese films to “go global” and present the culture and emotional features of China.

Ⅲ. Look forward with magnificent scenes

Dreams of Light and Shadow, is an expression with elegance.

As a harbor city where cultures communicate, Shanghai is the cradle of Chinese films. With an all-embracing local culture, Shanghai has become a wharf for filmmakers home and abroad to get together, exchange ideas and cooperate. To echo this idea, the Dreams of Light and Shadow begins with the breathtaking aerial shooting of Shanghai in sunrise, implying the radiant merging of film city and film festival.

Combining with the traditional SIFF program Night Cruise on Huangpu River, the film ends with the night view of the river, till another dawn begins.

The director Wu Zhihao is known for his innovative spirit and is praised as the chief aerial cinematographer of Shanghai TV Station. Behind the resplendent film language lies the height of Shanghai’s urban cultural construction, and more importantly, the intimate and interdependent relationship between SIFF and Shanghai.

Furthermore, the production creates a large photo wall with special effects, where the epitomes of former filmmakers evolve to the brilliance and devotion of the film practitioners one generation after another during the 20 editions of SIFF. The delicate post production makes the film flow with light colors, symbolizing the arrival and gathering of the savants from the whole world. And the “SIFF Numbers” part presents a careful and detailed analysis in a novel way.

Ⅳ. Tribute with cordial affection

Dreams of Light and Shadow, is an expression with temperature.

More than 20 Chinese and foreign directors, actors, producers, film selectors, industry pioneers, etc. who have been in close relationship with SIFF are interviewed in the film, including Wu Yigong, Luc Besson, Jia Zhangke, Chen Kaige, Yu Yongfu, Anke Leweke, Yu Nan, Liu Ye, Cao Baoping, Ning Hao, Zhang Meng, Lu Chuan, Tiina Lokk, Jackie Chan, Qin Yi, Cristian Mungiu, Benoit Ginisty, Feng Xiaogang, Emir Kusturica, Yue-Sai Kan, Wai Ying Hung, Quincy Jones, Oliver Stone, Xu Jinglei, Yang Ying, Yan Geling and Ang Lee. They recall the growth of SIFF, list highlights, draw experience and look into the future. The large number of guests, as well as the extensive coverage are impressive.

Director，CHEN Kaige

Director，FENG Xiaogang

Love is always around us. When recalling the success of the first Shanghai International Film Festival, the older generation of artists including Wu Yigong still clearly remember the details. They talk about the past with great familiarity, about the original intention to organize the Festival, about the bonds among the filmmakers from different places, about the inheritance of Chinese film spirits. The genuineness, ardency touches everyone’s heart.

Director, WU Yigong

Actress， QIN Yi

Promotion Ambassador of Shanghai International Film Festival，Yue-Sai Kan

While contacting, arranging and filming guests, the documentary crew abolished every detail with extreme passion, devotion, perseverance and meticulousness. For example, they managed to interview the Jury President of 9th Golden Goblet Awards – French director Luc Besson in Cannes after several setbacks.

From the Jury Member of 1st SIFF, American director Oliver Stone, to the Jury President of 20th SIFF, Romanian director Cristian Mungiu, a number of filmmakers from home and abroad sent their greetings and wishes through videos, while all the credits of the documentary also wrote a “lover letter to Shanghai International Film Festival”.

Dreams of Light and Shadow not only tributes a huge honor to filmmakers, but also renders the city the brilliant beauty, eternal emotion, mighty mettle and extraordinary essence of movies.

The first-run and broadcast schedule of the Documentary during SIFF:

Dragon TV, around 17:40 on June 17
News Channel, around 22:30 on June 17
Art and Culture Channel, around 21:06 on June 17
Docu TV, around 19:30 on June 23
(The above channels are to rerun the show at chosen time)
East Movie Channel, June 19 afternoon
(The channel is to run the show every day during SIFF)
Synchronous broadcasting on PPTV, Tecent, Youku and iQiyi from June 18