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Classic film gets animation upgrade

Sparkling Red Star (Shanshan De Hongxing), an animation adaptation of a well-known live action film about a boy during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1937-45), will open in October 1, the National Day of China.

The August 1st Film Studio which shot the old version, cooperated with Puzzle Animation Studio in Shenzhen to adapt the story, which was a big hit among both children and adults three decades ago. The new version focuses on how a son of a Red Army officer grew up to become a courageous young man.

The animated version, the two studios say, makes the story accessible for today's young generation.

Zhu Xinyun, who played the little boy 30 years ago, voices the boy's father in the animation. The leading boy features the voices of Supergirl Xu Fei.

The film also has a Cantonese version, with the popular duo Twins taking a part in the dubbing.

Foreign buyers flock to sample local flicks

The 11th Beijing Screenings, an event promoting Chinese films to international buyers, sellers and film festival programmers, is underway.

About 100 guests, most of who are international buyers, have confirmed their attendance. They will watch 62 films, most of which are medium- or small-budget productions about common Chinese people's life. The criteria, as the organizers said, include quality, box office potential and media response.

A project to help 15 young directors, most of whom are first-timers, will kick off during the gala. China Film Group, in cooperation with established film investors such as Sony and Columbia, will help the directors to start filming within the following eight months.

This year's highlights also include an outdoor screening across the city. The movies to be shown all tell stories about the city of Beijing.

China Film Promotion International (CFPI) and China Film Group co-host the event, with support of The State Administration of Radio, TV and Films. The previous 10 sessions sold hundreds of films to 70 countries and regions.

Movies get seal of approval

Qinghai-Tibetan Line (Qingzang Xian), a movie directed by Feng Xiaoning (pictured left) about three generations working for the construction of the railway between Qinghai Province and Tibet Autonomous Region, will hit the theaters this month.

It is among the 50 films to be shown in theaters during September 15 to October 31 as recommended by the State Administration of Radio, Film and TV (SARFT), the country's top regulator of the industry.

Most of the recommended movies are newly produced middle and small works focusing on the history of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese army and common people's life. Officials say they will financially aid theaters that screen the recommended movies, to promote local productions. The movies will also screen in rural areas. SARFT will provide 8 million yuan ($1.1 million) to help promotion.

China Daily

(China Daily 09/18/2007 page18)