Hainan Island Int'l Film Festival hosts jury meeting for Golden Coconut Award

The sixth Hainan Island International Film Festival (HIIFF) hosted its Golden Coconut Award international jury meeting in Sanya City of south China's Hainan Province on Tuesday, bringing together a distinguished panel of judges consisting of filmmakers from home and abroad.

Jointly sponsored by China Media Group and the Hainan provincial government, the film festival, scheduled for Dec 4 to 10, has partnered with 20 cinemas across the province to screen over 100 films with special events, including lectures given by film masters, an ASEAN film exhibition, an exhibition featuring 100 outstanding domestic animated short films, and a display of film derivatives.

This year's Golden Coconut Awards include three categories; feature film, documentary, and short film. Renowned French director Luc Besson is leading the international jury as its president. Joining him are fellow jurors Zhang Yi, Xu Fan and Wang Jingchun.

Besson, the jury chair, emphasized the need for originality in creative work and the importance of diverse perspectives within the jury.

"We're very happy to be here, but being a jury isn't an easy task. The works we evaluate are all unique. Our jury members come from different backgrounds and have different styles. This brings together our various perspectives, opinions, wishes, and experiences. It all starts from the heart. What's more beautiful or noble than our hearts?" he said.

Highly acclaimed Chinese actor Zhang Yi, participating as a jury member for the first time, viewed the experience as an opportunity for growth.

"As a jury member, it's not only a work for me to be responsible for evaluating each work; it's also a fantastic learning experience for me. This transformation of identity is something I am very happy about, as it not only allows for deep exchanges with fellow jurors but also provides a fresh understanding of worldwide cinema," he said.

Xu Fan, a prominent Chinese film and theater actress, has developed her craft across various mediums, including drama, film, and television. She shared her evaluation criteria from an acting perspective.

"I believe the key comes from ordinary observations in life. All acting techniques stem from everyday experiences," she said.

Actor Wang Jingchun emphasized that the most important aspect of ensemble performances is to start from the heart, fully capturing the beauty of the film and the specific contexts it requires.

"When actors perform, they must maintain consistency across different shots and angles, starting from the heart. It's essential to be fully engaged and sincere, delivering a performance that stays true to the character and context throughout," he said.

The 10 prizes of the Golden Coconut Awards, including the Best Film Award, the Jury Award, and the Best Director Award, will be revealed at the closing ceremony of the film festival on Dec 10.

Since the solicitation for film submissions commenced around the globe in July 2024, the organizing committee has received 4,330 entries from 117 countries and regions, including China, Russia, Spain, and France, with over 70 percent of the submissions from abroad.

Among them, 14 feature films, eight documentaries, and 10 short films from over 20 countries and regions have been shortlisted for the Golden Coconut Awards.

Hainan Island Int'l Film Festival hosts jury meeting for Golden Coconut Award

Hainan Island Int'l Film Festival hosts jury meeting for Golden Coconut Award

The China-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum is expected to bring new vitality to the global development and human civilization, said Colombian President Gustavo Petro in Beijing.

Petro, who delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC Forum on Wednesday, told China Media Group (CMG) in an interview, while giving a special mention of the importance of the forum as a platform to reshape multilateralism.

"This Forum, held here in China, comes at a pivotal moment in history. And that's precisely what makes it so significant. It is taking place at a time when multilateralism is in urgent need of reshaping. There are some powers who believe they can rule the world through intimidation and shows of force. But with China and Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries standing together, we must make them understand: history is full of hard lessons. Those who once flexed their military might did not prevail. They may have enjoyed momentary success in the past, but this time, history will not repeat itself," he said.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the China-CELAC Forum's operation.

Chinese President Xi Jinping stated in his speech delivered at the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC Forum that under the careful cultivation of both sides over the past 10 years, the China-CELAC Forum has grown from a tender sapling into a towering tree.

Petro hailed the relations between China and LAC countries over the past decade, saying that the cooperation is expected to energize the global development and human civilization.

"Yes, exactly, a tree. A strong and thriving tree, with deep and well-developed roots firmly anchored in the earth. There's no doubt that over the past ten years, trade in physical goods between China and LAC countries has grown substantially. China is involved in building the Bogota metro project. China is also constructing a port in Peru, and many other large-scale infrastructure projects are being advanced through Chinese investment and engineering expertise. When we link the cultural and civilizational threads of China and LAC countries, it's as if we are nurturing a living tree, one that grows tall toward the sky and promises to bring new vitality to the human civilization," he said.

China-CELAC Forum brings new vitality to global development: Colombian president