China Daily documentary wins award at China-EU Film Festival

Bernards A. Zako, one of the final jurors for this year's China-EU Film Festival and former head of UNESCO's Culture Sector and a cultural and heritage consultant, delivers an address. (Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn)

A China Daily documentary featuring life in Shenyang, Liaoning province, won an international communication award at the 8th China-EU Film Festival in Brussels on Saturday.

Shenyang: China's Happiest City? received the "Meet China" Best International Communication Award for City Image at its awards ceremony on Sept 26, in recognition of its storytelling aimed at bridging geographical and cultural differences.

The award was presented as part of the festival's "Meet China" International Communication Section, which focuses on bringing Chinese stories to international audiences through screenings, awards and cultural dialogue.

Produced by China Daily, the documentary explores everyday life in Shenyang through the eyes of Russian blogger Tina, who has a strong interest in Chinese culture and comes from a country that shares with the northeastern Chinese city a strong industrial heritage and snowy winters.

The film takes viewers from the city's bustling morning markets and renovated historic neighborhoods to community parks, winter sports and its distinctive bathing culture, portraying how the former industrial hub is developing a more diverse urban identity.

Yuan Mengqian, secretary general of China-EU Film Festival, hosts this year's session. (Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn)

One sequence follows Tina to the Xiaoheyan morning market, where she experiences a hearty local breakfast. Other parts of the documentary explore the city's growing cafe culture, its network of 3,198 pocket parks and the everyday leisure activities of local residents.

The documentary received more than 1,000 comments after its release, with viewers who had visited Shenyang expressing a desire to return and others saying they hoped to visit the city for themselves. Shenyang has been named one of China's Happiest Cities for four consecutive years.

The China-EU Film Festival is being held in Brussels from Sept 23 to 29, featuring screenings of Chinese feature films and documentaries as well as short-film showcases, filmmaker-audience dialogues and other exchange activities.

Yuan Mengqian, secretary-general of the China-EU Film Festival, said what the festival values most is the moment when a film truly connects with its audience.

"A specific story can offer a glimpse into an unfamiliar way of life, while also allowing people from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds to discover emotions they share," Yuan said. "Meaningful exchanges often begin at such moments."

Representatives receive their awards. (Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn)

Bernards A. Zako, a member of the final jury for the section and a former head of a culture unit in the United Nations' UNESCO agency, said the judging process considered both the audiovisual quality and expression of the works, as well as their ability to promote dialogue between China and Europe and make their cultural context understandable to audiences from different backgrounds.

The festival is also hosting exchanges between Chinese and European universities and young filmmakers. Chinese creators and students are scheduled to visit institutions including the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) for discussions with local students and faculty on filmmaking, visual storytelling and cultural expression.

Founded in 2015, the China-EU Film Festival has developed programs involving film screenings, filmmaker exchanges, university cooperation and youth activities aimed at promoting cultural exchanges between China and Europe.