STORY: Second China Film Festival opens in Zagreb
SHOOTING TIME: Nov. 26, 2024
DATELINE: Nov. 27, 2024
LENGTH: 00:03:57
LOCATION: Zagreb
CATEGORY: CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. various of people at the cinema before the start of the festival
2. various of Qi Qianjin, Chinese Ambassador to Croatia, addressing the opening ceremony
3. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): QI QIANJIN, Chinese Ambassador to Croatia
3. various of people mingling before the opening ceremony
4. various of Jurica Pavicic, Vice rector of the University of Zagreb, addressing the opening ceremony
5. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): KRESIMIR JURAK, Director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Zagreb
6. various of Xue Ning, Deputy director of the China Film Archive, addressing the opening ceremony

STORYLINE:

The Second China Film Festival opened in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, on Tuesday evening, during which the Croatian audience will have the opportunity to watch 11 Chinese blockbuster films.
   
Addressing the opening ceremony, Qi Qianjin, Chinese Ambassador to Croatia, said that today's world is facing unprecedented complex challenges, and China has always advocated for overcoming civilization barriers and conflicts through dialogues and communications, addressing global issues through win-win cooperation, and allowing people of all countries to know each other and create a better future together.
   
SOUNDBITE 1 (English): QI QIANJIN, Chinese Ambassador to Croatia
"We are happy to have a Chinese film festival, which is opening tonight in Zagreb. This time, we'll provide some contemporary Chinese movies, like A Lonely Planet (Moon Man), which will tell you a scientific fiction story. 
I know that Croatian people, in fact, are quite interested in knowing about China. And also, I think it's our mission not only to provide Croatian people with traditional Chinese culture, like Kung Fu or 'The Art of War by Sunzi,' but also it's our task to give you something new, which represents China, the development in today's China. For example, Chinese culture, Chinese movies. So I definitely believe that today's movie festival will provide the chance to Croatians to know about China and particularly today's China."

Xue Ning, deputy director of the China Film Archive, said that movies transcend mountains and seas, break barriers, bring people from different cultures and countries together, and help them understand each other.

"The vitality of civilization lies in communication, exchange, and integration. We look forward to further exchanges and cooperation and are willing to jointly build closer cultural ties through the China Film Festival and more cooperative projects," Xue added.
   
For his part, Jurica Pavicic, vice rector of the University of Zagreb, said that the film festival offered Croatian audiences "a unique opportunity" to put themselves in the vibrant world of Chinese culture, history, and contemporary life.

"I had the pleasure of watching many of the films with my children and friends during the first China Film Festival," Pavicic said, adding that the films carefully selected for their artistic and cultural value this year are "a testament to the exceptional quality of Chinese cinema."
   
The China Film Festival, co-organized by the China Film Archive and the Confucius Institute at the University of Zagreb will last until February next year.

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): KRESIMIR JURAK, Director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Zagreb
"Eleven great Chinese movies, blockbusters coming from China, created in the last one or two years, except one, which is a remake from a 1983 movie with Jackie Chan. But all the other 10 movies are basically one-or-two-year-old Chinese movies, blockbuster level. What we are trying to show is that Chinese movies on the blockbuster level have the same quality, same production elements as Hollywood type of movies. And unfortunately, the Chinese movies of this level are not presented in the cinemas in Croatia or in Europe. So what we are trying to bring is this kind of movies to people. We want to show to the people what Chinese people of their ages, the young people are watching in the cinemas at the moment."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Zagreb.
(XHTV)