3rd EAFF Seminar and Screening: Embodied Practice – Martial Arts, Psychology, and Cross-Cultural Experience
理想国艺术电影节研讨放映会之以身为场——武术、心理与跨文化修行
Monday 26th January 2026
13:00-14:30
The Cube, One Elmwood
Organisers:
This 2026 Eutopia Arthouse Film Festival is joint event organised by
- Film, School of Arts, English and Languages
- The Language Centre at Queen’s
- China-Europe Youth Film Society
Speakers:
Tianpeng YAO (姚天鹏) is a PhD candidate in Film Studies at Queen’s University Belfast, with his research focus on the audio-visual representation of Eastern philosophical symbols.
He is the founder of the China-Europe Youth Film Society, through which he has been committed to promoting cultural exchanges between Chinese and European young filmmakers.
Before studying at Queen’s, Tianpeng had directed films such as “Searching for Zen” and “Bicycle,” which was accepted in the Official Selection for the 24th Shanghai International Film Festival and won the first prize at the 10th International University Student Microfilm Festival, as well as the official selection of the 22nd Independent Days International Film Festival (Germany). Recently, his documentary film “The Road to Kung Fu” was awarded The Best Long Video Award in 2023 United Nations Chinese Language Day & The Third Chinese Language Video Festival.
Vikki Hanling Cao (曹瀚翎) is a member of the British Association of Film, Television and Screen Studies (BAFTSS) and holds a Master’s degree from Queen’s University Belfast. She is a filmmaker, artist, interpreter and translator. She serves as the core board of directors of the Eutopia Arthouse Film Festival since the very founding of the festival. Vikki is the official cinematographer of BCCMA (The British Council for Chinese Martial Arts), and had been the photographer of BSSS(British Society of Soil Science) and SSSI.
Vikki actively took part in the filming and recording of the BBC’s flagship television programme, Antiques Roadshow, with Fiona Bruce. In addition, she also has served as an official simultaneous interpreter for WHO global conferences, Castrol global conferences, some UN-related conferences etc and as a translator for Canterbury Cathedral, etc. And she had worked for Sonorities Festival, EAPRIL (European Association of Practitioner Research on Improving Learning) conferences, One Young World (OYW) Summit and other international summits related. Vikki’s film won the Best Video Award at the 2024 My China Story International Video Competition and another film was runner-up for the BAFTSS Practice Research Award.
Outline:
This Information Session will include the following elements:
- Welcome
- Introduction to the Eutopia Arthouse Film Festival and a Review of Previous Editions
- Launch of the Open Call for the 3rd Eutopia Arthouse Film Festival
- Submission Guidelines and Key Information
- Film Screening: Martial Arts, Psychology, and Cross-Cultural Practice
- Group photo
Film Screening: Martial Arts, Psychology, and Cross-Cultural Practice
This part presents two films from previous editions of the Eutopia Arthouse Film Festival. Created by students and staff of Queen’s University Belfast, these works explore the convergence of Eastern and Western embodied practices through the disciplines of boxing and kungfu.
Screening 1: Junayde’s Kungfu Dream (2025)
Directors: Tianpeng Yao and Vikki Hanling Cao
From a young age, British youth Junayde Guven harbored a dream of mastering kung fu and held a deep fascination for Eastern martial arts. To pursue the martial path in his heart, he journeyed thousands of miles to China’s Shaolin Temple, apprenticing under renowned masters to study authentic Shaolin kung fu. Over five years of changing seasons, he honed his skills amidst the temple’s morning bells and evening drums, ultimately elevating his martial arts to a new realm.
Now, bearing the hopes of the British team, he embarks on the journey to the World Kung Fu Championships. What will be the outcome of the competition? How close is he to realizing his kung fu dream? This documentary delves deep into Junayde’s inner journey, revealing his remarkable voyage of cultural integration and self-transcendence.
Screening 2: Feint (2024)
Directors: Christopher Whiteside and Madeline Whiteside
Feint is a drama with psychological horror elements and tells the story of Zoe, a young boxing coach struggling with her mental health and the burden of running the family boxing gym whilst caring for her younger sister under the shadow of their terminally ill mother’s fate.
