Berlin

The first edition of Asian Brilliant Stars launched on February 12th in Berlin. Three influent Chinese Talents received recognition for their recent works: Xu Haofeng won the Best Director Award for The Final Master, Jerry Ye won the Best Producer Award for The Wasted Times and Liu Zhenyun was awarded the Best Screenwriter for Someone to talk to. Numerous guests were present on the red carpet, including representatives of Berlinale (Kathrin Schafroth), European Film Market (Jana Wolff), European Film Promotion (Martin Schweighofer), Beijing Film Academy (Hou Guangming), 2017 European Shooting Stars Winners and Asian Talents (Yan Geling, Nansun Shi, Ouyang Baoping etc.).

Asian Brilliant Stars is organized by Asian Film & Television Promotion (AFTP), Beijing Film Academy and Actor Committee of the China Radio and Television Association (CRTA). Modeled on the longstanding European Shooting Stars, the program aims to bring international exposure to Asian emerging and established talents, including directors, actors producers and screenwriters.

Xu Haofeng is one of the most influential « wuxia » (martial arts) author, screenwriter and director in China. He wrote Wong Kar-wai's The Grandmaster and directed The Sword Identity, Judge Archer and The Final Master. In these films, Xu Haofeng develops a unique and personal aesthetics of martial arts. Xu Haofeng new film The Hidden Sword is expected in 2017. Xu Haofeng said while handing his award : « I started making films at the adult age, an age to do responsible things. That’s why I do « wuxia » films, a genre I can master ».

Jerry Ye is the CEO of Huayi Brothers, one of China’s leading film companies. Ye was previously VP of Wanda Culture. Ye’s credits as a producer include blockbusters The Taking of Tiger Mountain (2014), Mojin: the Lost Legend (2015) and critically acclaimed Go Away Mr. Tumor (2015) and The Wasted Times (2016). Jerry Ye deliverd a speech in fluent english: « I hope we can create bridges between Europe and Asia, work with the European Shooting Stars to do films in Chinese for the Chinese movigoers ».

Liu Zhenyun is one of the most popular novelists in China. His first success Cellphone was adapted for a film directed by Feng Xiaogang. His recent I am not Madam Bovary was also adapted for a film directed by Feng Xiaogang. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and won the Best Film and Best Film Awards at San Sebastian International Film Festival in 2016. Liu Zhenyun expressed his hope for Chinese cinema : « We can’t do films as pure financial products, we need to tell stories about ordinary lives. That’s what we did in I am not Madam Bovary, the story of a woman who stands 20 years to assert one phrase, « I am not Madam Bovary » ».

As well as the awards, Asian Brilliant Stars is also co-organizing a panel on « Casting Chinese Actors for Co-productions » with the European Film Market (EFM) and Bridging the Dragon on February 15 during the Sino-European Production Seminar.

Richard Shen, Secretary-General of the AFTP, said during the ceremony: "It's a great honor to be a strategic partner of the Berlinale and to host the first Asian Brilliant Stars awards ceremony during this year's Berlinale. The quick development of Asian economies has brought increasing opportunities for Asian films, and the European market has shown a growing interest in Asian Film markets. In the future, Asian Brilliant Stars will collaborate with more Asian countries such as South Korea, Japan, and Thailand."