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In search of young directors
Golden Lion winner Jia Zhangke is helping to discover 10 young Chinese directors.
Jia will choose 10 scripts offered by netizens, and also select 10 young directors, each of whom will shoot a five-minute short film on the theme of "healthy is pretty". The films will be shown via mobile phone, MP4 and the Internet.
Jia said he took a part because it provides an opportunity for young directors. His own young director training camp will start its first session in July in his hometown Fenyang, Shanxi Province. His next film is about the urbanization of Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province. Jia said it would be more free and imaginative than his award-winning Still Life.
Jia is cooperating with hair care maker Slek, which is sponsoring the project.
Win a taste of French cinema
French movie fans have the chance to win a chance to attend the opening ceremony in the fourth French Film Panorama in China rubbing shoulders with the big stars of the French film industry.
A question will be posted daily on www.ccfpekin.org, (the website of the French cultural center) and those who provide the correct answers have a chance to win a prize.
Beijing winners will be guests of a top hotel, enjoy being pampered by hair and make-up professionals, walk the red carpet with the stars, meet the press, and are invited to a private VIP cocktail party before the opening ceremony. They will then attend the opening ceremony with the other VIPs. In Shanghai, Nanjing and Chengdu, a similar program will be arranged.
From April 26th to May 7th in the four cities' theaters, an eclectic program of 11 French feature films and 12 shorts movies will be presented. Other prizes including free movie tickets and signed posters.
English First appointed Games language trainer
The Beijing Organizing Committee has selected English First (EF) as the Official Language Training Services Supplier of the 2008 Games.
English First will provide training services to the Chinese Olympic judges, translators and interpreters needed to care for foreign guests from around the world, and also assist the BOC (BOC) with language training.
Founded in 1965 by Swedish entrepreneur Bertil Hult, EF Education is one of the world's leading private education companies specializing in language training, educational tours and cultural exchange.
EF also supported the Olympic Games in Seoul 1988.
Upcoming star on cloud nine
Rising pop star Liu Shanshan, who is the regular face of Chinese and Korean youngsters' cultural exchanges, released her debut song: Days on the Cloud and its MV.
The song, composed by Shu Nan, is in both Chinese and Korean. The Korean part is sung by Leean, singer of the theme song of Jewel in the Palace, an extremely popular Korean TV series. This is the first cooperation of the two artists. The song's style is like the Korean TV dramas, sad but arioso. The MV tells a tragic love story between a Chinese girl and her Korean boyfriend. It will develop into a 20-part TV drama. This year marks the Year of China and Korea. Liu will perform at the following China-Korea concerts touring both countries.
China Daily
(China Daily 04/06/2007 page18)
