The Yunnan New Film Project (云南影响)is a series of ten films shot in Yunnan by young female directors. In this video clip, Jeremy Goldkorn of Danwei.org interviews project organizer Lola about the background of the Yunnan New Film Project. Goldkorn also interviews YNFP participant Wang Fen, director of the film The Case (箱子), regarding the state of Chinese film today.

Related Article:
Interview: Huang Ruxiang, Yunnan and Utopia

Saturday night the winning films from BigScreen 2007 were announced by a jury composed of Marco Ceresa of the Venice Film Festival, screenwriter Wang Yao and Jeremy Goldkorn, founder of the highly influential Danwei.org.

Winners included Hong Kong director Yan Yan Mak's The Scarlet Robe for best long film, Vecchio e la Fontana by Tony Palazzo of Italy for best short film, Living in a Perfect World by Italians Diego D'Innocenzo and Marco Leopardi for best documentary and Almost Like One of the Family by Astrid Goransson of Sweden for best animation.

Four films by French director Jean-Gabriel Périot - Even if she had been a criminal, Dies Irae, Under Twilight and Nijuman No Borei were collectively honored as the best entries in the videoart and experimental films category. The jurors said they based their selections upon the theme of modernity vs tradition, which was a common thread in all the winning films.

GoKunming congratulates Yan Yan Mak (麦婉欣) - who was in attendance at the festival - and all other winning filmmakers. We also thank our expert jury, event co-organizers CinaOggi.it, musical guests Tujiko Noriko, Rap Republic and Yuansheng Studio and of course everyone who stopped by for the 94 films and three concerts we took in over the past five days.

Today is the final day of BigScreen 2007 – which means our jury of experts will select one winning film from each of the following categories: Long Documentaries and Movies, Animation, Short Films and Videoart/Experimental Films. After the selection of the winners of BigScreen 2007, Japanese singer Tujiko Noriko shall perform, marking the end of BigScreen 2007.

Thank you to all who have attended the festival, we hope to see you again next year. In the meantime, here's the schedule for the last day of BigScreen 2007:

--3:00 PM TO 6:00 PM--

Out of Competition

Komitas (96:00) – Don Askarian – Germany/Armenia
Lines (02:07) - Alexander Timofeev – Russia
Dubus (04:09) – AV – Russia
Den Lille Valpen/The Little Puppy (01:20) - Lasse Gjertsen – Norway
Rødmaling/Red Paint (01:20) - Lasse Gjertsen – Norway
Mjæv & Pipert/Meow and Peepy (01:10) - Lasse Gjertsen – Norway

Videoart & Experimental Films

Nijuman No Borei (11:00) - Jean-Gabriel Périot – France
Error 404 (01:45) - Marko Batista –UK
Apnea (15:00) - P Chatelain / Virginie Lavey – France/Japan

Short Films

Free Will (7:00) – Frank Guarnaccia – Italy
Tesseract (15:30) - Liora Belford & Ido Govrin – Israel
The Fateful Encounter of Wendy and Earl (3:00) - Leo Curbelo –USA
Girl from Moscow (6:13) - Mika J Ripatti – Finland


--8:00 PM TO 11:00 PM--

PERFORMANCE: TUJIKO NORIKO

Animation

Leningrad (-) - Alexander Timofeev – Russia
Aislado (3:20) - Gerard Freixes – Spain

Long Documentaries & Movies

维亚达纳时间Vedere il Tempo Viadana (30:00) DOC - Paolo Cavinato, Mario Piavoli – Italy
适当LA Proper (105:00) MOV - Barry Canty – USA

Award Ceremony

The penultimate day of BigScreen 2007 will feature a special appearance by critically acclaimed Hong Kong director Yan Yan Mak, who will introduce her newest film - The Scarlet Robe. Here is a schedule of today's films:

--3:00 PM TO 6:00 PM--

Out of Competition
Spring and Autumn – China
I Signori del ferro (42:00) DOC - Massimo D'Alessandro – Italy
Lasse vs Teknologi (00:40) - Lasse Gjertsen – Norway
Lasse vs Teknologi II (02:15) - Lasse Gjertsen – Norway
Hyperactive (02:15) - Lasse Gjertsen – Norway

Videoart & Experimental Films

Even if she had been a criminal (10:00) - Jean-Gabriel Périot – France
Unwavering (Sisyphus) (04:11) - Etta Safve – Sweden/Netherlands
Truth – Paradise Found (03:00) - Wilfried Agricola de Cologne – Germany
23Twinning 23 (07:18) - Yana & TJ Kim –USA

Short Films

EVOL (9:20) - Emanuele Secci –USA
Il Viandante (20:00) - Andrea Di Bari – Italy


--8:00 PM TO 11:00 PM--

Animation

Almost like one of the family (9:51) - Astrid Goransson – Sweden

Long Documentaries & Movies

The Scarlet Robe (35:00) MOV – Yan Yan Mak– Hong Kong
Oltre Selinunte (56:00) DOC – Salvo Cuccia – Italy
April, Seoul (28:00) DOC - Hye Yoon Jung – Germany
Black Days (45:00) DOC – Alan Amin – UK

In addition to another six hours of short films, experimental films, documentaries and full-length films, BigScreen 2007's third day will feature its second of three special musical performances when bilingual hiphop duo Rap Republic (说唱共和国) takes the stage at 8 pm at Yuansheng Studio.

One of Kunming's newer and most interesting musical acts, Rap Republic is composed of MC/producer and Kunming native Tang Renti and Kunming resident alien Mike Wind. In recent months the group has released a well-received demo (with a new album expected in early 2008) and was one of the show stealers at the Kunming Outdoor Music Festival.

Tang Renti's smoke-'em-if-you-got-'em beats explore a wide range of moods and styles -- it's no stretch to say that he has emerged as one of the top hiphop producers in China. Mike Wind's solid vocals and stage presence are complemented by Tang's unique flow. The back-and-forth between Chinese and English lyrics - both MCs are bilingual - creates one of the most unique and accessible hiphop shows on the mainland.

Rap Republic plays at 8:00 tonight at Yuansheng Studio, which is located next to TCG Nordica in the center of The Loft (创库) art compound at 101 Xiba Lu, next to the Baiyao Chang (白药厂) bus stop.

Today marks the halfway point for the BigScreen 2007 film festival. Tonight's special musical guest is Rap Republic, who takes the stage at 8pm. Here is a list of today's films:

--3:00 PM TO 6:00 PM--

Out of Competition

The Beak (56:00) – Don Askarian – Germany/Armenia
Home (09:45) - Virgina Eleuteri – Italy
Rikshaman (07:00) - Seppo Renvall – Finland
Jeg går en Tur/I'm taking a Walk (03:15) - Lasse Gjertsen – Norway
Hva faen, Speil?/What the Hell, Mirror? (01:15) - Lasse Gjertsen – Norway

Videoart & Experimental Films

North Sea: Low Tide (Ophelia) (5:28) - Etta Safve – Sweden/Holland
Coppi (06:50) - Antonio Poce / Valerio Murat – Italy
The Machine of Memory (01:22) - Marko Batista – UK
Promenade (08:30) - Junichiro Ishii – Japan
Limbo Sketches (09:30) - Liora Belford & Ido Govrin – Israel

Short Films

Vecchio e la Fontana (15:00) – Tony Palazzo – Italy
Jesus (13:40) - Jussi Jakola – Finland/Ireland


--8:00 PM TO 11:00 PM--

PERFORMANCE: RAP REPUBLIC

Animation

Controlled Dream Machine (8:52) – Anaisa Franco – Brazil
Autopsie d'un reve / Autopsy of a dream (1:23) – Marie Husson – France

Long Documentaries & Movies

Ararat – 14 views (76:00) - Don Askarian – Germany/Armenia/Netherlands (Movie)
The Visit (102:00) - Brigitte Uttar / Kornetzky – Sierra Leone/Switzerland (Documentary)

UPDATE: the performance has been moved to 8pm, after which the evening session of the film festival will commence

The The BigScreen 2007 film festival is proud to present a free performance of "Sounds of the Yunnan Countryside" tonight, starting at 8pm at Yuansheng Studio.

For anyone that hasn't had a chance to experience the talented Yi, Bai and Wa performers of Yuansheng Studio, this is a good opportunity to take in the music and dance traditions of some of Yunnan's most remote locations.

Yuansheng Studio is located next to TC/G Nordica in the center of The Loft (创库) art compound at 101 Xiba Lu, next to the Baiyao Chang (白药厂) bus stop.

Wednesday afternoon BigScreen 2007 moves into its second of five days, with a special late-night performance by Yuansheng Studio. Here is a list of the films that will be shown on Wednesday:

--3:00 PM TO 6:00 PM--

Out of Competition

Detour DeSeta (57:00) DOC – Salvo Cuccia – Italy
Flutter (03:31) - Juha van Ingen – Finland
Machine Man (01:35) - Lasse Gjertsen – Norway
Businessmannen/The Businessman (02:00) - Lasse Gjertsen – Norway
Happy Valley – (31:00) - Feng Xiaohua – China (Documentary)

Videoart & Experimental Films

Under Twilight (5:00) - Jean-Gabriel Périot – France
Cerca De Mi (04:00) – Lemeh42 – Italy
Urban Surfing II (03:10) - Marina Chernikova – Netherlands
JF's Toolbox (03:00) - Virginie Foloppe – France
Anatolia (02:00) - Sinasi Gunes – Turkey

Short Films

Escena Retorno a Escena (18:30) - Facundo Cantelmi - Argentina
Dietro le cose (6:00) - Antonello Novellino – Italy/Spain
Medicare (3:00) - Winkler, Koeperl – Germany


--8:00 PM TO 11:30 PM--

PERFORMANCE: YUANSHENG STUDIO – "SOUNDS OF THE YUNNAN COUNTRYSIDE"

Animation

Their Circumstances (10:00) – Ji Hyun Ahn – USA

Long Documentaries & Movies

Memoriae Causa (57:00) DOC – Riccardo De Cal – Italy
Johfra (40:00) DOC - Roderick Rodenburg – France/Netherlands
Houdoud Al Zaman (Barriers of Time) (56:00) – Lebanon/USA/Canada