On June 2–10, seven Capital Star Art Film theatres in the Chinese capital welcomed cinema-goers to 21 screenings of Lithuanian film. They had a chance to meet a delegation of the Lithuanian film industry – representatives of the Lithuanian Film Centre and producers of the films selected to be screened at the event – who came to Beijing for the Lithuanian film week.
The first Lithuanian film week in China presented seven Lithuanian films: Ignas Miškinis’ Kings’ Shift, Lina Lužytė’s Together For Ever, Eglė Vertelytė’s Miracle, Kristina Buožytė’s The Collectress, Giedrė Beinoriūtė’s Conversations on Serious Topics, Jokūbas Vilius Tūras’ Dreaming the Path and The Bug Trainer by Donatas Ulvydas, Linas Augutis, Rasa Miškinytė and Marek Skrobecki.
Miracle, directed by Eglė Vertelytė, opened the Lithuanian film week on 2 June in the Megabox cinema in Beijing’s popular Sanlitun area with welcoming speeches by Beijing officials, Rolandas Kvietkauskas, the director of the Lithuanian Film Centre, and the Lithuanian Ambassador to China Ina Marčiulionytė.
Chinese media covered the festival’s opening ceremony, several television channels have expressed interest in broadcasting the films. The Lithuanian Film Centre has been approached by regional festivals interested in screening Lithuanian films elsewhere in China.
Beijing welcomed Lithuanian film producers Lukas Trimonis, Rasa Miškinytė, Dagnė Vildžiūnaitė, Jurga Gluskinienė, Ieva Norvilienė as well as Rolandas Kvietkauskas and Dovilė Butnoriūtė, representatives of the Lithuanian Film Centre.
During the festival, the Lithuanians met with representatives of China’s key film institutions: the Film Bureau, the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television; China Film Group Corporation; Beijing Film Company; and China Film Foundation which handles international cooperation projects. The Lithuanian delegation also visited Beijing Film Academy. The meetings addressed opportunities to distribute Lithuanian auteur cinema and short films in China and screen them in festivals.
The Chinese were invited to visit Lithuania and see the local film production infrastructure, to know more about the Lithuanian film tax incentive, conditions and coproduction opportunities in the country. The two sides also discussed the possibility to sign a cooperation agreement in cinema.
The Lithuanian film week and the visit of Lithuanian producers in China was organised by the Lithuanian Film Centre, the Lithuanian culture attaché and the Embassy of Lithuania in China, Beijing New United Films Co. Ltd., Beijing 8th Day Culture and Communications Co. Ltd.
