On November the 30th, the Confucius Institute at the University of Florence in Italy, held a Chinese documentary show and a forum named “China on Focus”. Two Chinese documentaries voicing Chinese reality from the perspectives of inheritance and innovation were on show. One of them was Exploring Shanghai and Florence about the cultural heritage protection at Shanghai and Florence, and the other Burnt by the Sun, reflecting the present situation of Chinese internet start-ups, Professor Wang Li from Tongji University and Mr. Yang Xiaofei, guest director of Shanghai Film and Television Festival and China (Guangzhou) International Documentary Festival, attended the event as directors of the documentaries and communicated widely with audience.
Mr. Ji Gang, consul of Chinese Consulate General in Florence, Professor Cai Xiaoli, Chinese director of Confucius Institute, Mr. Marco Bellandi, Italian director of Confucius Institute, Professor Riccardo Gelli, president of Florence Dragon Film Festival, Pierotti, professor of Performing Arts of University of Florence as well as Caterina Liverani, a film critic, were also present at the event.
Exploring Shanghai and Florence, co-presented by Tongji University and China Financial Information Center was co-produced by College of Arts and Media and Sino-Italian Campus of Tongji University. It was shown at the University of Florence on the afternoon of November 30th, following a successful premiere in Shanghai on November 16th. After the show, Professor Wang elaborated on how to make effective products and communication with the help of documentaries to promote mutual exchanges between Italy and China, and raised the issue of “protecting urban historical and cultural heritage in a dynamic way”, which triggered heated comments and discussions among the audience. Director Cai Xiaoli expressed her views from the special shooting style and narrative features in the documentaries. She mentioned that the Chinese documentary forum would go on with its own characteristics as a brand activity of the Confucius Institute. Liverani pointed out that the fact that this documentary had sparked widespread social discussions by comparing Florence, cradle of the Renaissance, with Shanghai, rapidly expanding city in China, demonstrated the role of cultural heritage as a significant way for civilizations. Mr. Yang Xiaofei and Professor Pierotti talked respectively from the standpoints of the documentary shooting and academic education. Then teachers and students of University of Florence as well as the local audience had further discussions on cultural heritage protection and the dissemination of documentary by taking into account their own experience, academic values and social significances.
The documentary Burnt by the Sun, directed by Yang Xiaofei, was shown in the evening in the theatre of Stensen, attracting audience from various places. Consul Ji Gang, Mr. Gelli and Director Cai Xiaoli made their speeches respectively before the screening. They spoke high of the role this forum played in enhancing the Sino-Italy exchanges and valued the sensitivity and tension of Burnt by the Sun in its presenting the current reality of China. In his introduction, Director Yang highlighted the thread of the documentary, claiming that the documentary was an optimal interpretation of the irreplaceable part that a dream could play in changing and creating an era of a city. The audience watched this documentary with great interest, which was followed by lively discussions and exchanges of idea between the director and audience.
Translated by May Language Studio Based upon
http://news.tongji.edu.cn/classid-6-newsid-49632-t-show.html
