Honorary President Xie Fei

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Films should beware of not going with the unhealthy trend of the current market. Films are supposed to get the sensitive nerves of the entire society through the endowed senses of criticism and crisis. I very appreciate that FIRST International Film Festival Xining keeps the realism resurrection of Chinese film in mind. Instead of giving up the realism tradition, Chinese filmmakers should remember that films are artistic expressions and chronicles of our age and will be passed on to the next generations.

Film Festivals have discovered numerous emerging filmmakers, which is a good supplement to the mainstream film market, therefore, we should keep an open mind to and encourage the artistic culture market led by film festivals. I am highly astonished that FIRST International Film Festival Xining can be so great, so diverse and so magnificent.

Founder Song Wen

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What is FIRST? FIRST is about the first time, the initial stage and the raw and wild in contemporary filmmaking. It scrutinizes emerging films filled with energies. Perhaps the discussions of language, social contexts and characters’ attitude in cinema should be given the second place, because cinema is there. Whether it contributes to art, religion or human existence is left to time to answer.

A film is open to everybody for interpretation. It leaves no rigid dichotomy between two opposite rules, but keeps sharpening our eyes and elevating our standards higher.

Everyone is born to die. We ought not to rue the bygones, but to delight in the sight of clouds floating in the sky, cows by the lake, grass in lush and flowers in blossom. Meanwhile, cinema keeps us company.

Co-founder & CEO Li Zi Wei

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What is of utmost luxury is something seemingly of little significance or value. People invest much energy in it, careless about its “worth”. It generates force and gives away warmth, which travel to a greater distance. FIRST is this luxurious and miraculous thing.

FIRST will celebrate its 11th anniversary this year. It marks a new start. While many are racing forward, we have to look back and keep looking out for what have made us stronger. We are and will always be here, harboring the adventurous and persistent youthful spirits.