The Beijing International Theatre On Screen Week opened in Beijing on Nov 3, bringing together theater professionals and screen distributors from China and other countries to explore how digital technology can expand the reach of stage productions.
Running through Nov 8, the event features 20 high-definition recordings of stage productions from China, Britain, France, Greece and Brazil, alongside industry discussions and professional workshops on international distribution, copyright management and cross-border collaboration.
Five overseas productions will make their Chinese screen debuts, including The Golden Boy, a revival of Clifford Odets' play produced by Britain's National Theatre Live and starring Josh O'Connor, and Les Femmes savantes, Moliere's classic comedy, by Italian avant-garde theater director Emma Dante in her first collaboration with France's Comedie Francaise.
Chinese productions on the program include the National Centre for the Performing Arts' new screen version of the Chinese opera The Long March, an 8K recording of the dance drama The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting, and the 4K theater film Hua Bian, produced by the Beijing People's Art Theatre, which was screened at the opening ceremony.
Hua Bian, or The Mutiny, is the Chinese stage adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Caine Mutiny, by American novelist Herman Wouk. It was first directed by US director Charlton Heston in 1988 who placed a strong emphasis on dialogue. The dialogue is dense, fast-paced, and intellectually challenging, creating a "verbal storm" on stage. In 2006, the play was restaged with new actors and a fresh director, Ren Ming (1960-2022), featuring prominent actors like Feng Yuanzheng, Wu Gang, and Wang Gang.
The six-day event also includes four keynote speeches, two industry salons and five post-screening discussions with creators, providing opportunities for international professionals to exchange experiences and explore distribution partnerships.
