Kolkata to Host Chinese Film Festival
The inaugural film Xuanzang is sure to touch the hearts of Indian audiences as it narrates the pilgrimage made by young Chinese Buddhist monk to Nalanda, India. and symbolizes the deep cultural ties and collaborative spirit between Indian and Chinese civilizations.
By Aditi Bhaduri
Kolkata: The Chinese Film Festival is set to return to Kolkata after a 10 year hiatus. The Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Kolkata Xu Wei made the announcement at a press briefing. The Film Festival will begin on 17 April with 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 festival will be held after a hiatus of ten years. The last such Chinese film festival in the city was held in2016. 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.
“I have found that the works of Chinese directors such as Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige, Wong Kar-wai, and Jia Zhangke are popular in India. Many young Indian friends have also told me they like Chinese film and television stars. So I have long considered hosting another Chinese film festival in Kolkata. This year, thanks to the joint efforts of all parties, it will finally be realized. Together with the China Film Archive and Nandan, the West Bengal Film Centre, we will host the 2026 Kolkata China Film Festival from April 17 to 19,” the Consul General said.
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.
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. This is part of a larger initiative launched during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Tianjin last year for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, where both the leaders – Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping resolved to improve bilateral ties.
As part of this, direct flights between India and China were launched last year. Currently, flights between Kolkata and Guangzhou are being operated by Indigo airlines. Delhi-Shanghai flights are also operational. Soon China Eastern is also slated to resume its Kolkata-Kunming flights.
People to people contacts remain a vital part of resetting India-China bilateral relations, which is something the film festival aims to promote promotes. In total, seven films will be shown. It is a judicious mix of social, historical, cultural, and contemporary issues.
The inaugural film Xuanzang is sure to touch the hearts of Indian audiences 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. 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.
Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms (2023), is again of a similar genre. Based on the 16th-century classic novel “Investiture of the Gods”, this mythological epic unfolds in the late Shang Dynasty. When the tyrant King Zhou colludes with a fox spirit to seize absolute power, he triggers a curse that plagues the land. Amidst the chaos, a group of young warriors and the immortal Jiang Ziya must unite to overthrow the darkness and restore balance to the world. Often hailed as “China’s Lord of the Rings”, this film is a visual masterpiece that blends ancient Eastern aesthetics with cutting-edge cinematic technology, and has won a number of awards, including for the Best Feature Film at the 36th China Golden Rooster Awards (2023), and for Best Genre Movie at the Filming Italy Venice Award (2023).
At the opposite end of the spectrum is Like a Rolling Stone (2024). Based on real-life events, it tells the story of Li Hong, a middle-aged woman who, after decades trapped in a suffocating marriage, defies societal expectations and the objections of her family, to set out alone on a journey across China.
Indian audiences will also find familiar themes in Love Never Ends (2023), which explores old age in a metropolis, as well as in One and Only (2023), which deals withyouth, street culture and survival.
The varied themes is sure to keep the audience enthralled, especially in a city which has made major contribution to world cinema and can distinguish between the fine and the mundane.
The only glitch is that there will not be any presence of any film personality from China. This has not been for any lack of trying. Consul General Xu Wei explained that there still remained a problem with the issuance of visas by India for Chinese visitors wanting to travel to India.
The film festival will run at Nandan 1 from 17 through 19 April.
About The Author
