16th FIRST MART · Awarding Ceremony
In the face of changing circumstances, market dilemmas and lack of expression, do you still have the courage to put your work on the stage? When the impulse of “authorship” and the paradigm of “genre” are at odds with each other, will you still be able to get to the bottom of the matter, to get to the heart of the narrative and the original intention of your own self in the thicket of clues?
16th FIRST MART
All along, it seems that the only way to win in the market is to betray oneself and commit to external standards. While it is important to follow the laws of the market, under a benign market environment and a rich support system, those unique and determined creators are often given more eyeballs, and the FIRST MART calls for courageous creators, and tries to provide a bottom line by calibrating and linking the paths of creators and the market in multiple dimensions.
From July 27th to July 31st 2022, FIRST MART – Industry Screening continuously screened 10 selected completed projects and 10 selected Working In Progress. At the same time, industry negotiation between the market guests and the fimmakers has also been opened.
From August 1 to August 2, the FIRST MART – Financing Forum, 20 annual selected film projects arrived at the final public pitch after three rounds of preliminary evaluation, script evaluation and proposal evaluation.
16th FIRST MART
During the pitching session, the jury members gave sincere advice to the creators of the selected projects from their own professional perspectives, and had positive discussions with the creators. Although the creators were inevitably nervous after the FIRST MART Open Week, they were more confident than before, and exchanged ideas with the judges on an equal footing.
Guo Junli said, “while it is good to make your story interesting, you also need to present the audience with the growth of the characters.”
Huang Bo said, “Creators speak of profound moments in life experiences, and such expressions are more appealing.”
Huang Jianxin said, “After the story structure is built, we are more interested in seeing details that are close to life.”
Yang Chao said, “We should break through the self-protection of our own life experience and see pain and reflection in the still waters.”
Zhou Dongyu said, “It’s valuable to see creators who make narratives in the middle of the environment.”
The 16th FIRST Film Market Award Ceremony was held on August 3 to announce the 19 honors.
ULIGHT INNOVATIVE PRODUCTION AWARD: 150 SECONDS
Congratulations to 150 Seconds for winning the ULIGHT Innovation Award, a non-cash prize worth 300,000 RMB from Century UU.
Century UU provides ULight intelligent light field shooting and production support or visual effect production and motion picture synthesis production support to the film projects selected by FIRST Financing Forum and completed films/WIPs for Industry Screening, and also provides overseas distribution evaluation services for film and television projects.
TWO-BIT FILM AWARD: RHAPSODY IN BATHHOUSE
Congratulations to Rhapsody In Bathhouse for winning the Two-Bit film Award, a non-cash prize worth 300,000 RMB provided by TWO-BIT ENTERTAINMENT.
Based on the Two Bit-Thousand Rides platform, TWO-BIT ENTERTAINMENT is constantly exploring ways to improve the efficiency of content production and realization. Through user insight, media optimization, material matching and other full-process operations, it realizes a new generation of effect-oriented, high-efficiency and low-loss online promotion and distribution operation services.
V SHARE AWARD: 150 SECONDS
Congratulations to 150 Seconds for winning the V Share Award, a non-cash prize worth 300,000 RMB provided by V Change Media.
Since V Change Media joined the film and TV poster design industry, it has always been committed to cooperating with creators in presenting visual expressions other than images. V Share Award provides the winner with 300,000 RMB worth of movie poster design and movie copyright music support.
ZHIJIETIAOSE TECHNOLOGY AWARD: 150 SECONDS
Congratulations to 150 Seconds for winning the Zhijietiaose Technology Award, a non-cash prize worth 300,000 RMB from ZHIJIETIAOSE.
ZHIJIETIAOSE will provide the winning project with 300,000 RMB worth of pre-production color style development, post-production digital intermediate color grading and production services.
BRIDGING THE DRAGON SPECIAL AWARD: HIDDEN PARTS
Congratulations to Hidden Parts for winning the Bridging The Dragon Special Award, which is provided by BRIDGING THE DRAGON SINO-EUROPEAN PRODUCER’S ASSOCIATION (BDS).
In order to support high quality film productions and open up their possibilities in European festivals and markets, BDS has created the “Bridging The Dragon Special Award”, which will be awarded to three selected films from industry screenings. The winners will receive support from BDS for the project’s festival strategy, financing, post-production cooperation and sales in Europe.
IQIYI AWARD: SUMMER FOR WANGMO
Congratulations to Summer For Wangmo, which won the iQIYI Award and was sponsored by iQIYI with 100,000 RMB in cash.
iQIYI Film continues to support the FIRST Film Mart-Industry Screening. It will continue to work with FIRST to promote films with both commercial value and the spirit of artistic exploration to the industry and the audience. A iQIYI Film’s “Best Seat” award will be given to the most popular film in the industry screening.
ARRI AWARD: THE BOTANIST IN WHITE HOUSE
Congratulations to The Botanist In White House for winning the ARRI AWARD, a non-cash prize worth 300,000 RMB from ARRI China.
In 2011, ARRI Group established a branch company in China to provide a full range of ARRI film equipment sales and after-sales technical service support, the establishment of ARRI AWARD is aimed at providing more professional filming equipment support and services for the outstanding filmmakers, and to help young filmmakers to realize their artistic dreams by relying on the most professional equipment in all aspects.
ASTEROID ESCORT PROJECT：XIAO WEN’S NOODLE HOUSE
Congratulations to Xiao Wen’s Noodle House for winning “Paihua Production Asteroid Escort Project”, a non-cash prize worth 300,000 RMB provided by PaiHua Production.
Paihua Production’s “Asteroid Escort Project” is dedicated to discovering and supporting outstanding creators, taking China’s film and television industry as the center of gravity and flying by light. It aims to provide excellent young filmmakers with high-quality and effective assistance, support the expression of deep insight into society and life, and achieve unique and sparkling works.
HIXI MEDIA GROUP INGENUITY AWARD: MOONFIELD
Congratulations to Moonfield for winning Hixi Media Group Ingenuity Award, sponsored by Hixi Media Group with a cash prize of 100,000 RMB.
Hixi Media Group encourages young filmmakers to follow the Spirit of Craftsman, to carve out all the works, so as to create excellent works that excite people, heal their hearts, and live up to the times.
EASY PRODUCTION BREAKTHROUGH AWARD: AMILAL
Congratulations to Amilal for winning the Easy Production Breakthrough Award, sponsored by Topline Film for 100,000 RMB in cash.
Sprouting hope, breaking shell and moving forward, Topline Film specially set up the Easy Production Breakthrough Award, looking forward to setting sail from the embryo with the image. In the wilderness, the author and the supporting force are always searching for each other, and the hope of breaking the shell will eventually run to the vast distance with the accompaniment of the market.
“READY TO BLOSSOM” AWARD: NASI
Congratulations to Nasi for winning the “Ready To Blossom”Award, which is sponsored by YANGZHIZHU for 100,000 RMB.
With “Ready To Blossom”Award, YANGZHIZHU encourages young filmmakers to explore moments beyond the surface of life, and to present the beauty that transcends the times from their unique perspectives. On the big screen, every seed will take root and every story will blossom.
CIRCLE OF PASSION AWARD: THE GLASS MENAGERIE
Congratulations to The Glass Menagerie for winning the Circle Of Passion Award, sponsored by H&R Century with a cash prize of 100,000 RMB.
New talent is the driving force behind the development of the film industry. Constantly injecting new ideas, innovating and revolutionizing is the necessary responsibility and commitment of an excellent film and television enterprise. H&R Century hereby establishes the Circle Of Passion Award to help China’s new youth to pursue their dreams, and hopes that those who oar for the future will be able to make their way to the clouds, and that they can look forward to the next 10,000 miles.
YOUTH·FUTURE AWARD: THE MOON AND THE BOY
Congratulations to The Moon And The Boy for winning the Youth·Future Award, sponsored by Wefun Xiaohua for 100,000 RMB.
Youth is the courage to touch the unknown, the passion to stir up the spring water, and the imagination to swim in the river of stars. We sing the praises of films and filmmakers, just as we sing the praises of youth.
BOOY ENGAGING WITH CINEMA PROJECT:NASI
Congratulations to Nasi for winning the Booy Engaging With Cinema Project, sponsored by BOOY for 100,000 RMB.
We believe that every seemingly small love can constitute a fierce and fearless storm. With love in our hearts, we can live up to our expectations, and Catchmedia will meet with the new-age filmmakers to catch the hidden light, ignite a unique spark, and start a prairie fire.
GROUNDBREAKING AWARD:FULL METAL POET
Congratulations to Full Metal Poet for winning the Groundbreaking Award, sponsored by Flying Stone Film.
The Groundbreaking Award aims to help and encourage young filmmakers to explore and innovate. Carving time in light and shadow, searching for the beauty of movies, bringing stories full of expectations with extraordinary creativity and unique perspectives, polishing the work of Stonebreaker with the spirit of craftsmanship, and contributing to contemporary Chinese movies.
MAXTIMES AWARD: PLEASE VOTE FOR MY MOTHER
Congratulations to Please Vote For My Mother for winning MaxTimes Award, which is sponsored by MaxTimes in the amount of 100,000 RMB in cash.
“March is the time when the wheat is green and everything is new. MaxTimes’ “MaxTimes Award” aims to encourage and assist young creators to share the ambition of the dove and the province of the sparrow, so that the seeds of art can sprout and blossom in the soil of reality, and bear fruit in the world of light and shadow.
“SUPER LION·NEW ARTS”AWARD: MOONFIELD
Congratulations to Moonfield for winning the “Super Lion·New Arts”Award, sponsored by Super Lion Culture with 100,000 RMB.
The “Super Lion·New Arts”Award was established by Super Lion Culture to help young creators, wishing you to look far and wide and ride in the sky.
DREAMER PROGRAM AWARD: THE BOTANIST IN WHITE HOUSE
Congratulations to The Botanist In White House for the winning Dreamer Program Award, which is sponsored by General Dream Studio in the amount of 200,000 RMB.
General Dream Studio strives to create cultural masterpieces with social significance and influence, and the Dreamer Program Award encourages young filmmakers to explore and create new genres and expressions while rooting themselves in local culture, to promote industrial development, to create more cinematic arts with an international perspective, and to jointly create the future of Chinese cinema.
SPECIAL PROMOTION AWARD: RUMORS IN THE CORNFIELD
Congratulations to Rumors In The Cornfield for winning the Special Promotion Award jointly sponsored by General Dream Studio, MaxTimes and Wefun Xiaohua, which was jointly sponsored by the four companies with a cash prize of 300,000 RMB.
In the midst of the downturn and winter, the road to market for a movie project is more like a game for the brave. Determined filmmakers and market participants with discerning eyes has never stopped struggling. It is the precise link and in-depth communication between the two that makes the hope in the doldrums and the sunshine in the winter. The film project “Rumors in the Cornfield” has won the “Special Promotion Award”, which is also an incentive for other determined and outstanding young filmmakers.
Those who are brave will be honored, and will sail together as the road is wide open.