00:00And Will Zhang is an expert on the Asian and global movie industry, and he joins us now.
00:05Will, thank you so much for joining us. Great to have you here.
00:08The Golden Panda Awards, they're quite new, aren't they, really?
00:11What makes them unique, would you say, compared to those at the other major international film festivals?
00:18Well, you know, Paul, I think the name itself tells a lot of stories.
00:21You know, as we all know that panda is China's national treasure.
00:25You know, when people are referring to China, they always think about panda because they represent friendship and peace.
00:31I think that's a very important message that the organizer and China wants to send out to the world.
00:37The film can be like panda. It can go across the borders to let people have better understanding about China.
00:43And to truly answer your question, I think compared with other major film awards or festivals,
00:49they might more focus on the competition or the red carpet.
00:52I think the mission for the Golden Panda Awards is very clear.
00:56It wants to promote the dialogue and exchange.
00:59You know, by using this platform, we wanted to share with the world some great Chinese stories.
01:04And also, they wanted to introduce some great stories from other parts of the world to Chinese audience.
01:10So that two-way exchange, two-way path is very unique.
01:15So a two-way exchange and some really unique Chinese stories being told.
01:19What kind of films, though, are typically selected for the Golden Panda Forum?
01:26Yeah, you know, that's a very good question.
01:29You know, surprisingly, as an emerging film award, it's just second edition.
01:34The program and the films they select are pretty diverse.
01:38You know, it's not just about films.
01:39It also has a TV section.
01:41It has a documentary and animation.
01:43And among those nominees, you see some big names like Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer or some No Jet 2.
01:51Absolutely.
01:51These films are already pretty successful critically and commercially in the world.
01:56And also, at the same time, you also see some smaller film works like from independent art house film productions from Europe and the Middle East or Middle Asia about, you know, local culture and people's daily life.
02:10You know, I think the works they present is pretty diverse.
02:13It's not just about a blockbuster or production skill, but also they're all human-centered story.
02:19You know, they all share sincerity.
02:21Sounds very diverse.
02:23And, Will, apparently 70% of submissions this year are from overseas.
02:27Why so much international interest in China's film market?
02:32You know, you pointed out a very good point.
02:35You know, more than 70% of the film entries from outside of China.
02:39You know, that means the Golden Panda Awards are truly international already.
02:42You know, when I was working overseas, you know, talking to those filmmakers, they truly see China has a great potential.
02:48It's a huge market and it's a huge platform.
02:51They're curious about the Chinese film market.
02:53They want to engage in this market.
02:55They see many good opportunities like those film festivals, film awards.
02:59They provide them a platform to share their story with the Chinese audience.
03:03So, I think the Chinese film industry right now is just a truly, it's a part of the global ecosystem in the film industry.
03:11Will, lovely to talk to you.
03:12Thank you very much indeed for being with us today.
03:14That's Will Zhang.
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