Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

Read more

A student scientific seminar titled "Chinese Cinema: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow" has taken place at the Confucius Institute of the Azerbaijan University of Languages (AUL), Azernews reports.

The seminar was dedicated to the 120th anniversary of Chinese cinema.

During the seminar, the Director of the Confucius Institute, Rafiq Abbasov, spoke about the history of Chinese cinema and its "golden age."

He underlined that, due to the development of technology, the expansion of cultural exchange, and the emergence of new platforms for film distribution, Chinese cinema has become a significant player in the global film market. It has earned prestigious awards at international film festivals and continues to increase its influence on global culture.

Abbasov also stressed Azerbaijan's participation in international film festivals held in China, including the China International Film and Television Program Exhibition, the Shanghai International Film and Television Market, the Asia International Film Festival, and the Silk Road International Film Festival.

He mentioned that Azerbaijani films had won special awards at these events and discussed the screenings of Chinese films in Azerbaijan, as well as China's participation in the Baku International Film Festival.

During the seminar, AUL's Chinese studies students gave presentations on several topics, including the first Chinese film in the social drama genre, "New Women", the first feature film, "Yan Ruishen", and the oldest and most popular genre, martial arts cinema, which portrays the struggle of workers and peasants against oppressors, along with "red cinema." They also discussed how the emergence of comedies, realistic love dramas, and epic stories in Chinese cinema is tied to the effort to create a distinct Chinese identity in cinema.

The students also talked about the development trends and future prospects of Chinese cinema, the rise of new genres such as action films, thrillers, historical and family dramas, as well as the adaptation of Chinese legends, and modern genres like musicals, arthouse, and auteur films.

The seminar concluded with a screening of "Curse of the Golden Flower", the most expensive Chinese film in history, which is set during the final years of the Tang Dynasty.