Emerging talent

The coproduction, Where Has Time Gone?, comprises five stories by directors from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Speaking about the movie, Jia, also the executive director of the film, says: "Our life has changed so fast. Everyone ponders how time influences human beings."

Jia's story is about a Chinese couple struggling to decide if they want a second child after the country's new family planning policy took effect.

Fedorchenko says a Chinese news report inspired his Russian tale, which features a man relying on an artificial device made from a musical instrument to survive.

The Brazilian story explores post-disaster traumas in a mud flow-hit town, while the India section is a tale about an elderly man and a street child. The only sci-fi tale among the five is the South African story, which is set around 1,000 years in the future.

Xie Fei, chairman of the jury, says the movie project exemplifies cultural exchanges and how filmmakers from five countries team up.

The other Panda awards went to: Nice: The Heart of Madness (Brazil), the best picture; Russians Kim Druzhinin and Andrey Shalopa, for best director for war epic Panfilov's 28; Zhou Dongyu, for best actress for coming-of-age romance Soul Mate; Indian Alok Rajwade, for best actor for Turtle: Kaasav; and The Second Mother (Brazil) and Ayanda: Women (South Africa), jury's special award.