Roundup: Chinese American film, TV festivals highlight creativity, cultural exchange

The 21st annual Chinese American Film and Television Festivals in Los Angeles have become an influential platform for cultural exchange and mutual understanding between China and the United States.

by Julia Pierrepont III, Tan Jingjing and Huang Heng

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- "Tonight, we come together to celebrate the passion and hard work of filmmakers, producers and performing artists whose contributions continue to inspire audiences on both sides of the Pacific," said U.S. Congresswoman Judy Chu, addressing a packed audience at the 21st annual Chinese American Film and Television Festivals (CAFF/CATF).

Held every November in Hollywood, the global center of film and television, the CAFF/CATF opened Thursday with a grand ceremony and the prestigious Golden Angel Awards. The event, founded by local EDI Media Inc. 21 years ago, has become a leading platform for cultural exchange across the Pacific.

In recognition of the festivals' influence, Los Angeles County and the City of Los Angeles have each designated November and the festivals' opening day as "Chinese American Film and TV Festival Month" and "Chinese American Film and TV Festival Day," respectively.

"Over the past 21 years, this festival has grown bigger and more spectacular," Congresswoman Chu continued. "It has not only honored the artistic achievements but also carried forward the spirit of creativity and cultural exchange between the United States and China."

Thursday's opening ceremony drew celebrities from both Hollywood and China, making it a star-studded occasion. Interactions between Chinese and American artists were a highlight, with many sharing insights on cooperation, mutual learning, and building bridges through storytelling.

On Friday, the festivals hosted a Film & TV Summit Forum and Promotion Event at Loyola Marymount University, offering emerging talent from both countries opportunities to connect with industry veterans and strengthen creative partnerships.

A China-U.S. co-production, the documentary DEAR KULIANG, was screened at Friday's event. The 50-minute film follows the descendants of an American family as they trace their roots in Kuliang, or Guling in Mandarin, and carry forward their longstanding friendship with the Chinese people. Located in the suburbs of the eastern Chinese city of Fuzhou, the hillside resort area has long been known for the warm bonds formed between foreign expatriates and the local Chinese community.

Victoria Popescu, a junior at Loyola Marymount University, said the documentary was fascinating and opened her eyes to the depth of cross-cultural ties.

"Cross-cultural connections are vital. The more we meet and talk with people from different backgrounds, the more we all grow," she said.

Eric Johnston, a U.S. middle school teacher and researcher on Kuliang culture, said the story reflects the enduring ties between communities in both countries.

"These connections go back more than a century," he said, noting that he has brought American students to Fuzhou for cultural exchanges to help young people better understand these shared memories.

At the China-U.S. Film & TV Night on Friday, participants discussed how film and visual storytelling can deepen mutual understanding and bring new vitality to bilateral relations.

Besides DEAR KULIANG, which will soon be broadcast on U.S. platforms, including the History Channel, Guo Shaochun, Chinese consul general in Los Angeles, announced that another documentary, Bridge To A Shared Future, will also be released in the North American market.

The film, which won the Best TV Documentary Award at the festival, retraces the journeys of American journalists Edgar Snow and Helen Foster Snow through the perspective of Adam Foster, Helen's great-nephew. The couple visited China in the 1930s and produced the landmark book Red Star Over China.

Guo said that the book offered the international community its first glimpse of China's revolutionary base areas and opened a cross-border spiritual dialogue that continues to resonate.

"Today, Snow's unfinished journey of seeing China continues with a new generation. Through film and new technology, young people are showing the world a real, dynamic, and multidimensional China," he said. "With their energy and sincerity, they are carrying forward the century-old spirit of 'Guling Bond,' nurturing the flower of friendship, letting it bloom once more in our time."

Guo called on film and television professionals from both countries to serve as bridge builders -- helping art transcend borders and ensuring that friendship endures. "I believe you will continue to create, collaborate, and tell great stories that connect hearts and inspire understanding," he said.

James Su, chairman of EDI Media Inc., which organizes the CAFF/CATF, told Xinhua that he hopes the cultural works showcased during the festivals will help deepen mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of both countries.

"It's not easy to maintain a high-quality festival for 21 years," said Bob Underwood, chair of the Writers Guild of America West's International Committee, at the opening ceremony. "But James Su and his colleagues have done that, bravo!"■