SIFF ASIA World Express | Wild Grass unveiled at Kyoto International Film Festival

The 2020 Kyoto International Film and Art Festival will be held from October 15 to 18. Wild Grass, selected by the Shanghai International Film Festival, was shortlisted for the Special Invitation Unit of this year's Kyoto International Film and Art Festival to represent new Chinese films to Japanese audiences in the form of online screenings.

Kyoto is one of the important cradles of Japanese movies. The Kyoto International Film and Art Festival, founded in 2014, aims to promote and inherit traditional culture and art, and fully demonstrate the diverse charm of Japanese and global film culture. Affected by the COVID-19 epidemic, this year's Kyoto International Film and Art Festival was changed to be held online for the first time, with “Film and Art will not go silent” as the slogan. It consists of a Specially Invitation Unit, the Silent Film/Classic Film Unit, Joint Project of Film Festivals, and Fantasy Cinema in Wonderland - Magic Box of Nobuhiko Obayashi. Audiences can pay to watch the festival's films online.

Board SIFF ASIA World Express, the new Chinese film Wild Grass was unveiled at the Kyoto International Film and Art Festival from October 15 to 19 and was shown online on Japanese streaming platform Vimeo. The film is created by Guan Hu as artistic director and chief planner, starring Ma Sichun, Zhong Chuxi and Huang Jingyu, directed by Leste Chen, edited and directed by Xu Zhanxiong, and produced by Teng Jingshu. It tells the story of three young people who originally had no intersection. Driven by fate, they are pulled together by invisible ropes. From strangers to acquaintances, they become spiritual pillars and do not give up the story of pursuing their dreams.

Director Xu Zhanxiong, producer Teng Jingshu
At the fan meeting after the screening of Wold Grass at 23rd Shanghai International Film Festival

Wild Grass has a deep bond with the Shangying Festival. In 2017, Wild Grass was included in the SIFF PROJECT of the 20th Shanghai International Film Festival and won Best Creative Project. The film was officially selected for the Asian New Talent Award at the 23rd Shanghai International Film Festival this summer. On August 25, Wild Grass was officially released in domestic cinemas.

In June 2019, the Shanghai International Film Festival launched SIFF ASIA framework to promote exchanges and mutual learning among Asian film culture through screenings, awards, film salons and other activities. As an important part of the SIFF ASIA framework, SIFF ASIA World Express has become a bridge for the cultural exchange of Asian films. The arrival of SIFF ASIA World Express through Train in Kyoto for the first time not only gives local audiences and film counterparts a timely appreciation of the charm of Chinese New Films, but also a positive attempt to expand the framework of SIFF ASIA and promote close cooperation among Asian film forces. It also fully reflects the festival orientation of the Shanghai International Film Festival, which is “focusing on Asia, Chinese films, and supporting newcomers”.