“The text” in literature is a composition, consisting of words, sentences, and paragraphs that form a narrative. Similarly, when we consider the notion of “text” in relation to film, it comprises image, sounds, dialogues, and even introspective monologues. Across various forms of creative expression, authors and filmmakers utilize the inherent qualities of “textuality” to shape their own unique linguistic styles, delving into individual experiences and deeply observing the intricacies of life, ultimately constructing a vast world of reflections or parallel universes.
As the screening lights up, we anticipate that FIRST FRAME will bring forth an enriched world. This signifies not only a focus on the creation in text, insights, and questioning, but also points towards innovative breakthroughs in the film language.
Throughout the films selected in FIRST FRAME in recent years, text and cinema have coexisted in a symbiotic relationship, forming a strong stylistic representation of contemporary female image narratives. Through rich language and rational analysis, these works directly confront the present moment, depicting clusters of “life conversations” through the constant questioning of the creators. Beyond the paradigm of traditional cinema, it is necessary to reflect and contemplate, finding more approaches to creation and diverse perspectives in multiple dialogues, seeking the enduring resilience of artistic exploration.
This year, FIRST continues its collaboration with CHANEL to present FIRST FRAME, presents a special selection of films that cast the eyesight on the diverse images of women in the works of emerging filmmakers in contemporary sinophone cinema and encourages the creative depiction of female characters and themes. This year, FIRST FRAME invites scholar Dai Jinhua as the Scholar Referee for the section, joining with the filmmakers to embark on a journey that begins with individual experiences in creation and returns to the essence of text. It delves deep into the multiple considerations of creation that lie beneath the text, opening up various facets of female filmmaking. With the aspiration to connect through cinema, it aims to open a window that reveals vibrant female landscapes and extends its reach to a wider audience.