VENICE, Italy--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#ANICA--China�s Blue Planet Science-Fiction Film Festival was highlighted at the 77th Venice International Film Festival during the �Focus on China� side event earlier this week, bringing a glimpse of the future to the world�s oldest film festival.
The Venice International Film Festival is one of the first major cultural events held in Europe since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The fact that the festival - one of the film industry�s most important annual events - could go ahead offline as planned is a major boost to a sector that has been hit hard by the pandemic. The �Focus on China� event was held in the National Pavilion of Italy and streamed online.
2019 was an international breakthrough year for Chinese sci-fi cinema. November 2019 saw the inaugural Blue Planet Sci-Fi Film Festival, the first of its kind in China. It recorded great success, with 185 sci-fi films from 17 countries screened and a series of activities such as forums, masterclasses and exhibitions held.
The second Blue Planet Sci-Fi Film Festival will be held in November 2020. In light of the difficult times our world is going through, the theme of this year�s festival will be �empathy�. �Amidst this global crisis, it is more important than ever for people around the world to transcend barriers and engage with each other,� said the Blue Planet Organizing Committee in a message to the event.
Industry figures at the Venice Film Festival noted a buzz around the development of Chinese sci-fi. Roberto Stabile, head of international relations for the Italian motion picture association ANICA, said, �I was very impressed by this introduction to the Blue Planet Sci-Fi Film Festival, and look forward to welcoming our friends from the Blue Planet in Venice next year.�
Italian-Chinese filmmaker Shi Yangshi said, �Two years ago, Italian director Giuseppe Tornatore talked to me about Liu Cixin�s sci-fi novels and showed great interest in co-producing sci-fi films with China.� Italian producer Luca Confortini remarked, �China has a well-established film culture and its sci-fi films have been developing rapidly. The Blue Planet is an important and vibrant film event; I believe that China�s sci-fi film market will only grow bigger.�
Six Chinese-directed sci-fi short films chosen from the first Blue Planet were screened during the Film Festival.
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Xinhuanet Europe
Wei Wang
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