2019-06-18

Frémaux: Want to Take FLOWERS OF SHANGHAI Home and Suggest That Filmmakers All over the World Schedu

"There are wonderful films, delicious food and good friends here. I sincerely suggest that filmmakers all over the world can put the Shanghai International Film Festival into the indispensable schedule every year!" This morning, when Zhou Huilin, member of the Standing Committee of the Shanghai Municipal Committee and head of the Propaganda Department, and Hu Jinjun, deputy minister of the Propaganda Department of the Shanghai Municipal Committee and director of the Film Bureau is meeting with Thierry Frémaux, the art director of the Cannes Film Festival, he who is the old friend of the Shanghai International Film Festival could not hide his excitement. Frémaux said that he was very happy to see the Cannes Film Festival and the Shanghai International Film Festival reach further cooperation in the future, recommending excellent films to each other, and providing a broader showing and exchange platform for filmmakers and works around the world. Zhou Huilin said that the benchmarking between the Shanghai International Film Festival and the Cannes Film Festival will help to narrow the gap between the Shanghai International Film Festival and the international standards, promote the construction of Shanghai Global Film and Television Creation Center, and hope to further deepen cooperation and jointly promote the development of films in the future.

Zhou Huilin, member of the Standing Committee of the Shanghai Municipal Committee and head of the Propaganda Department meets Thierry Frémaux, the art director of the Cannes Film Festival

This year, the Shanghai International Film Festival added a "Cannes Zero Day" unit and invited several films screened or competed in this year\'s Cannes Film Festival to screen in Shanghai. Frémaux said that when he came to Shanghai International Film Festival this time, he felt like returning home. "The film fans here are very enthusiastic, the atmosphere of the film watching culture is also very warm, and I can meet many familiar filmmakers. A few weeks ago I just met friends from the cast of WILD GOOSE LAKE in Cannes, and I met them in Shanghai at once, feeling that we are a big family." He thinks that the Cannes Film Festival is held in May every year while the Shanghai International Film Festival is held in June. Therefore, there should be more exchanges and cooperation between these two film festivals, and filmmakers can also head straight to Shanghai from Cannes.

The art director of the Cannes Film Festival, Thierry Frémaux

Frémaux especially mentioned that the market reaction in China caused by CAPHARNAÜM, which won the jury award at the Cannes Film Festival last year. "I understand that this work has been very successful at the box office in China. The director also came to Shanghai International Film Festival to hold a master class. This is a meaningful attempt to promote the exchange of film culture and help excellent films find the market."

Before coming to Shanghai, Frémaux put the 4K restoration version of FLOWERS OF SHANGHAI into his own view list. "The restoration effect was amazing. I saw that modern technology was compatible with the traditional beauty of China." Frémaux sent an invitation to the Shanghai International Film Festival at once, hoping to bring the restoration version of FLOWERS OF SHANGHAI to France for exhibition. "Director Hou Hsiao-hsien has ever brought this work to Cannes, so we are also looking forward to its coming home."

Next year will be the 125th anniversary of the birth of world film. The Lumière Center in Lyon will hold a series of commemorative activities. As one of the sponsors of the activities, Frémaux has also sent an invitation to Chinese filmmakers through the Shanghai International Film Festival. "Lyon is the birthplace of world film, while Shanghai is the cradle of Chinese film. The two are closely related. It is hoped that more works and filmmakers from China will be seen in the celebrations next year."

After coming to Shanghai last year, this time Frémaux participated in the Shanghai International Film Festival again. He also paid special attention to the development status of Internet films in China. "Traditional filmmakers are worried about the menacing force of Internet films. However, in China, where Internet films are booming, I have seen many young people still choose to enter cinemas. Therefore, I want to tell filmmakers that they must have confidence when I go back, because cinemas not only exist in the past, they still represent the future of the industry."