Kolkata China Film Festival Begins

By Aditi Bhaduri 

Kolkata: The Kolkata China Film Festival was inaugurated in the city on Friday, April 17,  after a 10 year hiatus. The Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Kolkata Xu Wei inaugurated it, by lighting the lamp, together with Ms. Sharmishtha Banerjee, Head, Nandan Film Centre.

The last such Chinese film festival in the city was held in 2016. It is returning because of popular demand, the Consul General explained. However,  Chinese films have been shown as part of other film festivals like the annual Kolkata International Film Festival.

In his opening remarks Consul General Xu Wei said that cinema transcends language and borders and both in India and China there is an appreciation for each other’s films.

“Just as Indian films are loved in China, Chinese films are appreciated here. In the past years, we have been continuing to support Kolkata International Film Festival and Kolkata International Children ‘s Film Festival. Since I assumed my post, many friends in Kolkata have expressed a wish for a dedicated China Film Festival—and tonight, after ten years, it returns. As the screen lights up, we celebrate not only film, but also a heartfelt exchange of cultural and emotion between our peoples.”

Seven Chinese films of diverse themes and styles: stories of the human spirit, women’s journeys, love and companionship in later life, ancient Chinese myths, and the energy of striving youth, will be shown.

Read Also: Kolkata to Host Chinese Film Festival

The inaugural film of the Festival was a joint Indo-Chinese production – Xuanzang. The story recalls the journey of the young Buddhist monk, better known in India as Huien Tsang, to Nalanda in the 7th century CE.

The film held the audience spellbound,  not only because of the poignant acting by Huang Xiaoming, who plays thd role of the young monk, for which he won the Best Actor Award at the 13th Changchun Film Festival  in 2016.  But,  more importantly,  the film symbolizes the deep cultural ties and collaborative spirit between Indian and Chinese civilizations. Huien Tsang/Xuanzang  remains the most shining example of age old cultural, spiritual, and civilizational ties between India and China.

A profoundly spiritual and visually stunning biographical epic, it captures the essence of faith, resilience, and cross-cultural understanding, honoring Xuanzang as one of the greatest travelers and cultural ambassadors in human history.

Huien Tsang/ Xuanzang not only better explained the Buddha ‘s message to his native country by carrying back and translating original Sanskrit texts from India. His accounts of his visit to India remains one of the primary sources for Indians too about the country in the seventh century.

The popular demand testifies to the increasing interest in Chinese culture. Kolkata has always been known for its affinity with Chinese culture. Beginning with the journey to China by Rabindranath Tagore, to replication of Communism and the popularity of Chinese cuisine, eastern India has in many ways mirrored a proximity to China more than any other region.

Read Also: China-India relations have improved steadily: Xu Wei

The film festival also is a sign of the growing thaw in India-China relations disrupted by first covid pandemic, followed by geopolitical tensions between the two neighbouring giants.

“As two great civilizations and dynamic economies, China and India are neighbors with growing ties. We are all glad to see China-India relations are improving, with more exchanges and co-operations at different level. This festival aims to connect us through storytelling—to share China’s landscapes, culture, and people, and to deepen mutual understanding,” Xu Wei said.

The festival will continue till April 19 at Nandan 1. It is being organised by the Consulate General of the Republic of China in Kolkata, together with the China Film Archive and Nandan, the West Bengal Film Centre,

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