The Pingyao International Film Festival held a masterclass this week featuring one of the most common events and three of China’s most well-known filmmakers, Bi Gan, Huo Meng and Cai Shangjun.
The festival’s founder, Auther Zia Chanke, set the tone by moderated the session and declared “explosion of Chinese talent” in 2025, citing the extraordinary run of Chinese films across Europe’s most famous competitions.
That surge was historic: Huo Meng’s “Living the Land” won the best director at the Berlin Film Festival, Bi Gan’s “Resurrection” won the special jue award at Cannes, and Cai Shangjun’s “The Sun Rises on Us All” won the best actress award in Venice in Venice. For Jia, Pingao’s convergence highlighted what he described as the “golden moment” of Chinese cinema, as it carries out global awareness while the young filmmakers are firmly fixed in local reality.
For Huo Meng, who debuted “Crossing the Border,” which first screened at Pingyao in 2018, the creative journey remains inseparable from his development. “I grew up in the countryside, but my parents still live there,” he said. “My films are rooted in the resilience and intimacy of rural life, even if modernization changes it.”
Huo described the long-standing process of studying and shaping “Living the Land.” The project he mentioned was inspired not only by personal memories but also by anthropological readings. “China has been an agricultural society for thousands of years,” he pointed out. “The value of hard work, kindness and endurance is engraved in our national character. These qualities I saw in my family and neighbors formed the emotional foundation of the film.”
Bi Gan, who established him as one of China’s most distinctive stylists with “Kaili Blues” (2015) and “Long Day’s Journey Into Night” (2018), spoke about how “Resurrection,” starring Shu Qi and Jackson Yee, is fascinated by the logic of memory and dreams. “Movies and dreams are the same. They allow us to see in the dark,” he said. “The world feels more and more unreliable. Even data cannot be trusted. But through dreams and films, we can restore connections to reality.”
Bi described his collaboration with Jackson Yee, one of China’s biggest young stars, in a term that emphasized his calculation instincts. “When we first met, we didn’t talk for an hour,” he recalled. “That silence convinced him that he could materialise his role. The actor’s choices are always based on excellence. Popularity is secondary.”
Cai Shangjun, who won Best Director in Venice for “People Mountain People Sea” in 2011, explained how his new film marks the turn of his artistic concerns. “In previous works, I felt an outrage over social injustice,” he said. “Now I want to capture the spiritual presence of modern Chinese people: hidden connections in everyday life.” Working with Xin Zhilei, whose victory in Venice put her in the international spotlight, gave CAI the opportunity to guide what he called “a more intimate, less causal, less effective story.”
The existence of June and Wong lended the masterclass an international dimension. June praised the originality of “Resurrection,” which premiered in Cannes’ main competition. “It’s a real achievement to be still amazed by the image after watching movies over the years,” he said. “It’s not just novelty. It’s about filmmakers who take you on a journey and bring you an unexpected place somewhere.”
Wong, which will programmed at both Hong Kong and Berlin festivals, highlighted the surge in Chinese short films as a sign of depth. “Five years ago, we rarely saw shorts from China. Now there are hundreds,” he observed. “It’s been a very exciting time and our talented pipeline is growing rapidly.”
The discussion was energised by questions from students and the cinema’s packed home. One young attendee asked how filmmakers find inspiration that their life experiences are limited. Kai advised to see every day with fresh eyes. “Even a cup on your table can reveal the story if you view it differently,” he said. Huo added:
Another student asked about the balance of individual representation and audience resonance. Huo emphasized diversity. “Cinema should be as diverse as life. You need to ask yourself what you want to achieve the most. The audience wants to see, others want intimacy. Both paths work.”
BI responded more philosophically. “Dreams and memories may not be trustworthy, but so does reality,” he said. “The point is not to resolve contradictions, but to accept them. Films create meaning in the acts experienced, like dreams.”
Jia has brought the conversation back to the big picture. “Chinese filmmakers connect with an international audience by staying true to their roots, rather than copying,” he said. “That’s why these stories resonate because they’re the real thing.”
After closing the session, BI returned to the core of his practice. “We make movies, so we love films, not because the industry is booming,” he said. “That passion will support us even during difficult times.”
The masterclass ended with an optimistic memo, with both Chinese and international speakers agreeing that despite the market challenges, the country’s supervision is in the midst of a creative golden age.
