Bridging Eastern and Western Cultures through Film: The 2024 Eutopia Arthouse Film Festival Information Session
以电影桥接东西方文化：2024首届“理想国”艺术电影节发布会
Monday 12th February 2024
15:00-16:30
Auditorium, The McClay Library
About Eutopia Arthouse Film Festival
The Eutopia Arthouse Film Festival (EAFF) is a non-profit international film exhibition focusing on fostering artistic exchange and development among young filmmakers. Sponsored by the 2024 Queen’s Annual Fund, EAFF is jointly organised by School of Arts, English and Languages, The Language Centre at Queen’s, and the China-Europe Youth Film Society.
As an annual event based in Belfast, it is specifically geared towards university students who have made films during their academic studies. The festival encompasses a two-day cinema exhibition in Belfast, allowing students, scholars, and film enthusiasts from around the world to explore cultural diversity through visual storytelling. EAFF also features a series of thematic workshops, combining both online and offline formats, providing a platform for emerging filmmakers from diverse cultural backgrounds to exchange ideas, showcasing the richness of their respective cultures and artistic treasures through the medium of film.
EAFF, rooted in Northern Ireland, features a section called ‘Northern Ireland Stars,’ showcasing films by local filmmakers or those filmed in Northern Ireland, offering a glimpse into the region’s rich culture and compelling stories. Additionally, as a cultural bridge between East Asia and Europe, EAFF has set the ‘Cultural Bridge’ special section this year, presenting films that depict the cultural, artistic, and societal aspects of East Asia, aiming to promote dialogue, exchange, and integration between Eastern and Western artistic cultures.
Speaker:
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. Before studying at Queen’s, he 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.
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.
Outline:
This Information Session will include the following elements:
- Film Festival Promotional Video Screening
- Overview of The Eutopia Arthouse Film Festival
- Film Exhibition and Activities Introduction
- Film Festival Submission and Selection Overview
- Northern Ireland Film and Culture Segment
- East Asian Film and Culture Segment
- The Role of Film in Promoting Cultural Diversity
- Q&A
Additional Information:
Eutopia Arthouse Film Festival Call for Submission (Chinese version)
Eutopia Arthouse Film Festival Website