A movie capital

The future of filmmaking could be unlike anything we've seen before — virtual actors could be just as affecting as real ones, or actors could record a scene in their own home using a smartphone, and within an instant they'll appear on-screen in full costume against a surreal backdrop.

At the China Film Capital Development Forum, hosted on April 25 at Beijing Film Academy's Huairou district campus, filmmakers and experts envisioned how the film industry could adapt to, and benefit from, technological advances.

The forum became an annual component of the Beijing International Film Festival in 2021. This year it was themed on "integrating technology and film industry to construct China's film capital".

Kong Jianhua, deputy head of Beijing Radio and Television Bureau, said in his speech that 30 years ago, the three hallmarks of Huairou district were Yanqi Lake, Hongluo Temple and rainbow trout. Today the list includes Huairou Science City and the China (Huairou) Film and Television Base, located in the district's Yangsong town.

"From the small film and television town of Yangsong, to the 'China movie capital' Huairou, we have witnessed how movies allow a small town to take on a brand-new look, and how movies make Beijing an even better capital city," Kong says.

In 2017, a general city plan for Beijing's development between 2016 and 2035 was released, stating Beijing's aim to be strategically positioned as the "four centers" — a national center for politics, culture, international exchanges, and scientific and technological innovation.

For Huairou district, the goal in keeping up with these developments is to transform from merely a suburban area of the capital into a place that supports China's international exchanges.

Apart from being an ecological conservation zone, Huairou district has three major industries — technological research and development; film and television culture; and conventions and exhibitions.

The development of these industries is increasingly integrated. At the Beijing Yanqi Lake International Convention and Exhibition Center, the annual Beijing International Film Festival conventionally hosts its opening and closing ceremonies and other events.

The area has also attracted major film organizations, including the Beijing Film Academy, the China Film Group Corp and the Bona Film Group, to set up bases.

Fu Ruoqing, chairman of China Film Group Corp, says they have produced approximately 300 films over the past 15 years, the majority of which were made in the company's studio in Huairou.

According to him, the film and television base has provided policies and measures that support film and television content production, as well as a favorable environment for the collaboration and exchange of companies from different fields and industries.

"In recent years, the cultural and tourism industries have become a new driving force for China's economic growth," Fu says.

"The booming development of the 'China movie capital' and the advantages of the international convention center have played a unique role in Beijing's construction of the 'four centers', and provided a dazzling stage for the innovation and convergence of culture and tourism."

To promote the integration of film culture and tourism resources, the corporation plans to collaborate with relevant companies in building a theme park based on sci-fi films, such as the domestic blockbuster The Wandering Earth, hoping to contribute to the capital's cultural, tourism and economic development.

Extending its vision

While the Beijing International Film Festival has been consciously integrating technology into its events, such as establishing a virtual reality section at its Beijing Film Panorama screenings since 2018, this year, this section has been further upgraded to an extended reality section.

With 14 films adopting varied innovative formats that transcend genre boundaries, including film, theater, music and gaming, the interactions are no longer dependent on hand-held controllers, but other, varied means, such as eye or hand tracking, reflecting a transformation from "motion picture" to "motion capture".

One of these screenings is an interactive game called Before Your Eyes, in which the viewer sets off on a journey back in time and must flick through memories, piecing together the story of the protagonist.

By looking in different directions and blinking, the viewer can manipulate objects in the virtual world, such as turning the pages of a book, painting, playing the piano or jumping through time and space in the, literal, twinkling of an eye.

William Feng, head of Greater China operations at the Motion Picture Association, says that the US-based association has been actively collaborating with the film festival over the years, with the vision of providing more quality content for film enthusiasts and promoting the development of the film industry.

"From the aspect of XR and AI technology, I have observed substantial advancements. For content creators, there is much room for imagination in how to produce experiential content that can better present cultural elements and boost the progress of cultural tourism," Feng says.

This year, the 13th Beijing International Film Festival is the first international film festival in China to fully resume on-site events, hosting more than 300 in total, including the opening and closing ceremonies, the Beijing Film Panorama screenings, as well as forums and the Film Carnival.

"It is safe to say that a majority of Chinese film production companies and creative talent are based in Beijing, which means Beijing has the advantages to produce excellent film and television content that tells Chinese stories to the world," Feng says.

"In recent years the Beijing government has built the Beijing International Film Festival into a great platform for international cinematic exchanges, in terms of producing content, showcasing Chinese storytelling and promoting in-person cultural exchange."

Huo Zhijing, deputy head of Beijing Publicity Department and head of the Beijing Film Administration, expresses a similar view that Beijing, as a national cultural center, has concentrated and comprehensive film industry resources, including production and marketing companies, creative talent and film academies.

Beijing is also one of the most important markets in the Chinese film industry, according to Huo. Last year, Beijing's box office sales ranked first among Chinese cities.

This year, apart from the China Film Capital Development Forum, a variety of forums and master classes have been hosted for film practitioners and scholars from different cultural backgrounds to share their experience, and for young emerging filmmakers to enrich their vision.

"The film festival has played an important role in supporting the development of Beijing's film industry, enhancing the capital's image and promoting its construction as a national cultural center," Huo says.

In the future, Beijing will continue to leverage its advantages in culture and technology, gather resources, build platforms, optimize policies and refine services, in order to create excellent cinematic works and contribute to the innovation and dialogue of the international film industry, she adds.