Pingyao film festival sharpens its focus

Housewives do just as much for families as men, but they are often neglected and even marginalized, Shetty said.

Similarly, China's short film, Dumplings, presents a wronged mother whose desires and values are not accepted by her daughter.

Their conflicts essentially embody the conflicting values of different generations in contemporary China.

Speaking about Half the Sky, Zhu Weijie, president of Beijing Wishart Communication Co, one of the production companies of the film, said: "It has very important implications for both the market and cultural exchanges.

"Women are the main force in the marketing of films. We need films like this to listen to their voices and see things from their perspective.

"From the first BRICS co-produced film, Where Has Time Gone?, to Half the Sky, the second, these films are not only entertaining, but also a very important cultural achievement."

While Jia took on the task of directing China's short film in Where Has Time Gone? last year, this year's Dumplings was directed by young director Liu Yulin, echoing the festival's continuing commitment to young aspiring filmmakers.

Speaking about that commitment, Xu Zheng, Chinese actor, director and producer, as well as the "youth mentor" of the 2nd PYIFF, said: "We look forward to meeting gifted young filmmakers and other creative talents in Pingyao, and hope to create a more professional environment for their healthy development."

The Crouching Tigers section was set up to discover new directors and new films and selecting the first or second works of outstanding new directors from around the globe.

And the New Generation China section presented a selection of Chinese-language films by talented young filmmakers.

Many of the films had already won worldwide recognition.

For instance, The Crossing from the Crouching Tigers section won the Netpac Award of Honorable Mention at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival; and Dead Pigs from New Generation China won a special jury prize for ensemble acting at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival.

Besides the screenings of selected films, this year's PYIFF featured a series of academic activities under its Filmmakers' Program section, comprising 10 master-classes, forums and panels, offering in-depth intellectual discussion on filmmaking.

On Oct 17, Xu held a dialogue with Jia in his masterclass, offering his experience and insights to young directors.

To further inject new blood into China's film industry, the festival also worked with seven major Chinese film and communication universities, including the Beijing Film Academy, the Central Academy of Drama and the Communication University of China, in its Pingyao Corner section, a platform for students to display their works and for the industry to approach emergent filmmaking forces.