SIFF PROJECT | THE EXAMINEE from SIFF PROJECT Lab Starts Shooting

Directed by rising director WANG Nianyi, THE EXAMINEE started shooting in Chongqingon November 18. As a project included in the 20th SIFF PROJECT Lab this year, the film has attracted the established director XIE Fei to be its executive producer, and GE Hanzhi and CHEN Yingying asproducers.

THE EXAMINEE starts shooting

Director WANG Nianyi presenting at 2017 SIFF PROJECT Lab

Toil and moil of life, contradiction between generations, fragility of human nature – THE EXAMINEE is a realistic story, about the dilemma and choice of the “nobodies”toyed by destiny. The film centers on two lines, one is to depict the growth path of the protagonist SU Zhengyang, who seems to be an epitomeof every adolescent boy, characterized by contempt, ignorance, cruelty and joy. The rebellion and melancholy are irrelevant to generations, but actually printed on all theyoung soulsat similar ages. They are indifference to rules, longing for romance, accompanied by the confusion towardsand seek for self-awareness. On the other line stands SU  Zhengyang\'s father SU Qingyuan, a small businessman on the verge of bankruptcy. ZHOU Zhengbo, who plays SU Qingyuan in the film, said: "This is a figure that has personal codes of conduct but is sadly excluded from the codes of conduct in reality”. He once had naïve expectations for life, but was forcedby fate to break his moral baselinesstep by step, until falling into the abyss.

Photo from THE EXAMINEE

Jointly produced by Zhejiang Nanpai Pictures and Beijing Film Academy,THE EXAMINEEis the first project of Nanpai’s Rising Director Program, as well as the first prize winner in the New Talent Growth Program organized by the Graduate School of Beijing Film Academy. At present, the entire film crew has started working. Hope it will be completed soon, and present to the audience an Eastern magic realistic work which unveils the vicissitudes and arduousness of life.

Photo from THE EXAMINEE

As the film project financing platform of Shanghai International Film Festival, SIFF PROJECT has been playing an important role in Asian film market. For eleven years, SIFF PROJECT has dedicated itself to discovering, presenting and supporting good stories, promising teams and creative filmmaking. Witnessing 47 projects being made to movies, including some award-winning films in major film festivals, SIFF PROJECT has gradually earned its reputation and recognition in both home and abroad.

Trainers and finalists of 2017 SIFF PROJECT Lab

SIFF PROJECT Lab is an incubation & education program ofSIFF PROJECT newly increased in 2017, aiming to deliver a series of courses for theselectedChinese film projectsin their early development stages, and provide more possibilities for potential projects. In 2017, four notable filmmakers: producer CHEN Jie, director LU Sheng, producer PAN Xiao and producer XU Wewen were invited as the trainers for the Lab. Among the six finalists, THE EXAMINEE has started filming recently, Winter Farm (by SONG Kunru) has been nominated for theChina Film Foundation – Wu Tianming Film Fund for Young Talents at the 4thZhejiang Youth Film Festival, and other projects are under development as well.