Gold Award 2016

A YOUNG PATRIOT by DU Haibin

A courageous and ambitious film depicting the life and evolution of a young man over a period of five years. We witness the central character changing from a high school graduate full of youthful idealism into a cynical university student questioning the given patterns and truths. Zhao, the protagonist is a true discovery for a documentary showing the changing conditions and realities of a young generation in today’s China.

Silver Award 2016

A WAY OUT by Cherelle ZHENG

We especially liked how the tenacity of the Director, through time (6 years) and space (3 different regions in China), has managed to take a snapshot of today’s Chinese youth. Through it’s three well-chosen protagonists, we get a panorama of Chinese society, from cultural tradition and family duty to survival in the remote countryside and the comfort of the big city. The Director does not judge, but offers us ways to reflect.

Special Mention 2016

CLOUDY MOUNTAIN by Zhu YU

By his simple but unique cinematography, Yu ZHU’s Cloudy Mountain immerses us in the unknown world of asbestos mining in China, showing his concern for the working conditions of miners and the environment.

China-Europe Friendship Award 2016

SEARCHING FOR YU BIN by Jean-Christophe YU

The film is an excellent example on how a personal story can reflect History. Through the discovery of Yu Bin’s path, by his grandson, the film sheds light on a piece of untold History: the awareness of the struggle for dignity and respect for their country by the Chinese youth at the beginning of 20th century.

Special Award by the Festival Director for History Documentary

MEMOIRS OF CANTON by Jing LIU & YI Chen

This documentary explores the extraordinary story of Guangfu, a region emanating from Canton with a fresh historical perspective, through the re-enacted stories of its pioneers. It captures the compelling history of this impressive city in all its splendour and triumph, as well as trials and tribulations. At a time when History becomes the subject of Documentaries, The Festival Director considered it worthwhile to draw attention to the efforts made by the industry to shed light to unknown chapters of China’s History.