Every year at the film festival, apart from the stars on the red carpet, the film screening section is undoubtedly what movie fans look forward to the most. Since its inception in 2018, the first Hainan Island International Film Festival (HIIFF) has been dedicated to gathering outstanding domestic and international films to create a cinematic feast for movie fans.
On September 13, the 5th HIIFF officially launched its global call for entries, receiving widespread attention from all sectors of society. It is reported that the competition for the 5th Golden Coconut Awards is divided into three main categories: feature-length fiction, feature-length documentary, and short fiction. A total of 10 awards will be presented: Best Film, Best Director, Jury Grand Prix, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Screenplay, Best Technical Award, Best Children's Film, Best Documentary, and Best Short Film.
Recently, reporters interviewed some movie fans to hear them share the wonderful films they watched during previous editions of the festival and their expectations for the 5th HIIFF.
"I watched many films at the time, and the ones that impressed me the most were In the Intimate Light and Balloon." In December 2020, Xie Zhenhai, who was then studying in the Radio and Television Directing program at Hunan University, was a volunteer at the 3rd HIIFF, responsible for new film promotions.
In the Intimate Light is a drama film directed by Keishi Ohtomo, starring Go Ayano with Ryuhei Matsuda co-starring. Adapted from Mayu Inoue's novel of the same name, the film tells the story of office worker Konno, who befriends his colleague Hiasa. When the latter goes missing after a major earthquake, Konno begins searching for Hiasa and gradually discovers his unknown side. "I think the film is exceptionally delicate and well-made in its details and expression of human nature," Xie Zhenhai said. "Balloon is directed by Pema Tseden and stars Sonam Wangmo, Jinpa, and Yangshukco. The film tells the story of Dargye's family, who originally lived an ordinary daily life but become entangled in a series of awkward and difficult choices due to an ordinary condom. Suddenly, when the father passes away unexpectedly, the family's original harmony is completely shattered, triggering a series of thorny and unavoidable problems. This film is shot from the perspective of the Tibetan people, and I think it is very rare to see such an avant-garde film at the 'young' HIIFF."
Xie Zhenhai currently works at a well-known broadcasting and television group in Fujian Province. "At the festival, you will find many film scholars and film students from all over the country who purely love cinema. Moreover, volunteer culture is a very important component of the festival. How well the film screening turns out, I think, is somewhat related to the volunteers. Relying solely on media reports for promotion has limited reach, whereas the influence of young people and volunteers on social media platforms is immense." As a media professional, Xie Zhenhai also has his own thoughts on organizing the festival. "My expectation for the 5th HIIFF is that it can truly develop its own characteristics, protect its brand and credibility, create uniqueness among the youth, and truly become a film festival that never ends."
Nie Jingyi from Jiangxi is also deeply impressed by the 3rd HIIFF. "I was still a graduate student at University College London in the UK at the time, focusing mainly on documentary filmmaking, and I also shot some films for my coursework. Because the festival came to Sanya for the first time, I spent every day at the Sanya Wanda Cinema catching films." The films that left a deep impression on her include Dramatic Girls, Video Age, and A Perfectly Normal Family. "After watching Video Age, I thought the director was amazing; the film was smooth and complete," Nie Jingyi said.
Original Title: Movie Fans Full of Expectations for the 5th HIIFF: Building Brand Uniqueness and Anticipating More Outstanding Film Screenings
Editor: Li Jingchao
