No Barriers, a Thousand Lights Shining on Each Other: Diverse Cultures Meet Equally in the Light and Shadow of the Golden Panda Awards

China News Service, Chengdu, September 14 (Reporter He Shaoqing) Former Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou took out a panda doll named “Huahua” from his pocket; an American director interpreted giant pandas from the perspective of Chinese philosophy; filmmakers from across the globe traveled over mountains and seas to listen to and see one another… From September 12 to 13, diverse cultures met on an equal footing in the light and shadow of the 2nd Golden Panda Awards.

In 1895, the Lumière brothers of France held the first public screening of short films such as Arrival of a Train in a basement in Paris. Since then, cinema—an art form that relies on light, shadow and time-space, and integrates audio-visual expressions with narratives—has come into existence. In 1925, the world’s first mechanical television set was invented. Film and television have not only reshaped human entertainment and daily life, but also played a profound role in the construction of modern civilization.

Compared with the thousands of film festivals and TV/film exhibitions worldwide, the Golden Panda Awards has broken the boundaries of genre and region since its inception, covering four major categories: films, TV dramas, animations and documentaries. For the 2nd Golden Panda Awards, overseas works accounted for 73.2% of all collected entries, and nearly half of the judges were from outside China.

On the evening of the 13th, 27 awards of the 2nd Golden Panda Awards were announced one after another in the “Land of Abundance” (a traditional name for Sichuan Province). Darlene Veenstra, a 77-year-old Brazilian actress, won the Best Actress Award in the Film Category for her courage to break societal norms; French editor Thomas Mali took home the Best Editing Award in the Documentary Category for Memories of WWⅡ, a work that urges mankind to remember history; the late Chinese director Pema Tseden was awarded the Best Director Award in the Film Category for his film Snow Leopard…

Free from the pursuit of popularity and the urge to cater to the market, the 27 Golden Panda Awards embody the empathy of all humanity toward light and shadow, and vividly illustrate the concept that different cultures can coexist harmoniously while preserving their unique charms (“harmony without uniformity, and beauty in diversity”).

“The Golden Panda Awards can leverage the power of images to inspire creativity, convey beauty, promote inclusiveness, and enhance understanding and resonance among people of all countries,” stated Ahmed, Egyptian Minister of Culture, at the Golden Panda International Cultural Forum. He pointed out that exchanges and dialogues between civilizations are an inevitable choice for humanity in the face of global challenges.

The Golden Panda Awards eliminate barriers and break down prejudices. Through them, people not only perceive the diversity of civilizations and the vastness of the world, but also witness the authenticity of individuals and the vividness of subtle details. Hannatu Musawa, Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, noted that the world often views Africa through a one-sided lens, but now Africa is taking the initiative to tell its own stories. “I sincerely appreciate China’s efforts in amplifying Africa’s voice, enabling our stories to reach the world in a clearer and more profound manner.”

Over the 130 years since the birth of film and the 100 years since the invention of television, tremendous changes have taken place in how people watch videos, the technologies used in filming, and the audience groups. Artificial intelligence is now deeply involved in the film industry chain. However, during the Golden Panda Awards, filmmakers from around the world unanimously emphasized the need to “return”—to return to the essence of cinema: films are made for people and touch hearts with emotions.

In the view of Hussein Fahmy, a guest of the Golden Panda Awards and Chairman of the Cairo International Film Festival, although some current films feature breathtaking scenes (such as characters flying through the sky and traversing the earth) and various stunning special effects, if technology is only used as a gimmick to grab attention, such works will hardly resonate with audiences from both the East and the West. Films that can arouse empathy among Eastern and Western audiences must have characters that both groups can relate to, making viewers feel as if they have experienced the characters’ lives firsthand.

Vincent Perez, a renowned Swiss actor and director, quoted a Swiss proverb—”Where the heart is, the tongue will follow”—at the Golden Panda International Cultural Forum to encourage global filmmakers to be the actors, writers and directors of their own lives, and create touching works at the intersection of Eastern and Western civilizations. Citing Western Turandot and Chinese Ye Xian as examples, he pointed out that although many classic stories originate from different backgrounds, they transcend cultural boundaries and are passed down worldwide due to the shared pursuit of emotion, beauty and hope.

Perhaps, as Chen Kaige, Chairman of the Jury for the 2nd Golden Panda Awards and a Chinese director, put it, the Golden Panda Awards are precisely meant to build a bridge, making exchanges and mutual learning tangible. “We are all torchbearers, using the camera as our language. Every sincere work is a reflection and response to the destiny of humanity.” Chen Kaige added, “When thousands of rivers converge and ten thousand lights shine on one another, what we see will no longer be ‘you’ or ‘me’, but a shared spiritual home that belongs to all mankind.” (End)

Golden Panda Awards Gala Held in Chengdu on the Evening of the 13th; Nezha 2 Wins Best Animation Award    Photo by An Yuan, Reporter of China News Service

Hussein Fahmy, President of the Cairo International Film Festival and Guest of the Golden Panda Awards         Photo by An Yuan, Reporter of China News Service