Guest Registration Now Open | Four Ways to Experience the Film Festival
In the cosmic expanse of The Rescue Plan, isolated individuals find salvation through encounter. This is not merely a sci-fi fantasy, but a true reflection of the film festival itself. The birth of a film begins with an “I,” while the completeness of a film festival begins with the presence, voices, and collective efforts of countless “we.”
For twenty years, the FIRST Youth Film Festival has taken root in Xining, embracing cutting-edge expression with the vastness of the plateau. We have always believed that the significance of film lies not only on the screen, but also in people’s viewing, recording, sharing, and reflection—it is the participation of every individual that makes expression complete.
In 2026, the 20th Xining FIRST Youth Film Festival will take place from July 17 to July 25. This year, for the first time, we are simultaneously opening four guest access channels: media, market, public education, and screening. These distinct modes of engagement will intertwine within the same space and time. We invite you—an indispensable part of this event—to join us in making this annual celebration of youth cinema a reality.
🟦 Media Guests | Access Through Expression
The completion of a film does not end with its shooting and screening; it must still be viewed, documented, and, through continuous retelling, enter a broader context. Media guests use expression as their pathway, establishing judgments between viewing and writing, enabling works to be seen, understood, and continuously discussed.
We welcome: content creators and operators from key media organizations, professional film critics, and industry professionals with established distribution channels who have long been involved in film production and dissemination.
🟦 Market Guests | Responding Through Practice
Creation is not confined to expression; it also requires support, evaluation, and the ability to move forward within real-world conditions. Market guests bring industry experience to the table, forging connections between projects, resources, and decision-making to transform cinematic possibilities into reality.
We welcome: representatives from all segments of the film industry chain (production, distribution, marketing, rights, technology, etc.), curators and programmers from domestic and international film festivals, partners in the broader entertainment sector, and cultural institutions.
🟦 Public Education Guests | Expanding Through Understanding
Visual media belong not only to the creative process but also to the broader public sphere. Public Education Guests engage through research and practice, enabling film to find new interpretive pathways through teaching, screenings, and dialogue, thereby continually expanding the ways in which it is understood.
We welcome: representatives from educational research institutions, university faculty and students, screening organizations, cultural exchange institutions, and festival organizers.
🟦Audience Guests | Grounded in Presence
A film festival ultimately exists through the act of viewing itself. Audience guests engage in the most direct way, encountering the works through screenings and discussions, ensuring that every expression truly reaches its audience.
We welcome: the general public with an interest in and passion for film, as well as institutions and partners focused on film creation and youth culture.
Registration for media guests, market guests, public education guests, and screening guests at the 20th FIRST Film Festival is now open and will close on June 30.
Please click【嘉宾证件注册 – FIRST影展 · 西宁青年/惊喜】 to view relevant information and complete the registration!
Xining, the Summer Capital—the highland breeze is blowing. We can’t wait to meet you and let loose!