Off the wire
• Bangladeshi "tree man" undergoes successful surgery on right hand  • Nigeria considers Chinese firm to operate rail project: official  • China issues new measure on energy saving supervision  • Fatah, Hamas leaders to resume dialogue in Qatar on Monday  • President Xi's media tour draws positive feedback from reporters, journalism academia  • 2nd LD Writethru: 2 troopers killed, 9 wounded in militants attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir  • London in spotlight as world capital of fashion  • Update: Iran says no limit for all-out ties with Oman  • Iraqi security forces gain ground near Ramadi  • OECD praises Slovak economy for growing twice as fast as EU average  
You are here: 　 Home

Interview: Urge to watch Chinese movies grows constantly: Berlinale festival director

Xinhua, February 20, 2016 Adjust font size:

Chinese movies can been seen on all major film festivals for many years, while the urge to show and to watch Chinese movies has been growing constantly, said Dieter Kosslick, director of the Berlin International Film Festival, or the Berlinale, in an interview with Xinhua.

Regarding the films shown at this year's Berlinale, Kosslick said, the demand for Chinese movie has become bigger, adding that more people have purchased tickets this year for Chinese movies than ever before.

The Berlinale has a long connection with Chinese film. Many great Chinese movies, such as the once opening film "The Grandmaster", the Silver Bear winner "Peacock", the Gold Bear winner "Black Coal, Thin Ice", as well as the "Crosscurrent", the only Chinese film selected to compete for the Golden Bear this year, have been screened here, since the first Chinese movie the "Red Sorghum" won the Golden Bear in 1988, according to Kosslick.

"I think that over many years people have been used to the fact that there are very different kinds of Chinese films," he added.

Besides beautiful Chinese cinema like the movie "In the Mood for Love", the audience know that there are also Chinese documentaries with a touch of hard realism and Chinese fiction movies, Kosslick told Xinhua.

The diversity that the Chinese films are presenting at Berlinale reflects China's booming film industry and film culture in recent years, he said.

As for the reason of selecting "Crosscurrent" for the Competition of this year's Berlinale, Kosslick said, this movie was shot "very beautifully and poetically." It tells a touching story with a unique style, which has never been seen in the past Berlinale, he explained.

"It is not easy to answer what is a good movie. But a good movie tells a very special story with unique aesthetic. For example, the Chinese film in competition this year has a completely unique aesthetic to tell the story of the river and the shore," he noted.

From Feb. 11 to 21, a total of 434 films from 77 countries and regions are screened at the festival, among which 18 films run for the Golden and Silver Bears.

Three-time Oscar-winner and American actress Meryl Streep will serve as jury president of the seven-member international panel that decides who will receive the Golden Bear and Silver Bear awards of the 2016 Berlinale competition. Endit