The Belt and Road Film Week | Zhao Tao and Lei Jiayin invited as Promotion Ambassadors
2023-06-04
The Belt and Road Film Week of the 25th Shanghai International Film Festival is themed around “Dialogue”, focusing on the emotions and reflections both on and off the screen, as well as the resonance initiated by dialogue. Two well-known actors are invited as promotion ambassadors: Zhao Tao and Lei Jiayin.
2023 Belt and Road Film Week theme poster
Established five years ago, the Belt and Road Film Week has been committed to promoting diverse films and deepening cultural exchanges in the film industry with countries along the Belt and Road. It has built an open platform for in-depth exchanges between film cultures and industries in different countries. This time, Film Week Promotion Ambassadors Zhao Tao and Lei Jiayin will leverage their influence and international exchange experience to contribute to the dissemination of Belt and Road film culture and attract more attention to outstanding films from Belt and Road countries, as well as encourage the participation in the Film Week activities.
Both ambassadors have a deep connection with the Belt and Road Film Week and the Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance initiated by the SIFF. In April 2020, the Durban International Film Festival in South Africa officially joined the Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance, becoming the second African institution to the alliance. In 2022, the Durban International Film Festival extended an invitation, hoping that a Chinese female filmmaker could join the jury for the Competition section at the SIFF. After coordination, Zhao Tao gladly accepted the invitation, joining two other international jurors for the Feature Film section.
Zhao Tao started her career in film acting in 2000. In 2012, she won the Best Actress at the 57th David di Donatello Awards for her role in the Italian film “IO SONO LI”. She has appeared in numerous films such as “STILL LIFE”, “MOUNTAINS MAY DEPART”, and “ASH IS PUREST WHITE”, which have received awards at major film festivals and film prizes both domestically and internationally. She has also served as a jury member for the 7th Rome International Film Festival and the Main Competition of the 22nd SIFF.
Directed and written by Su Lun, starring Lei Jiayin and Zhang Xiaofei, “Five HUNDRED MILES” premiered during the Spring Festival this year. It made its international debut at the 45th Moscow International Film Festival in April, through the SIFF Belt and Road Film Tour. The film tells the story of a prominent lawyer, Zhong Da (Lei Jiayin), who after a blind date with Jin Hao (Zhang Xiaofei), accidentally swaps bodies with a young boy, Lu Xiaogu (Zhang Youhao), who secretly admires Jin Hao. The two men also inadvertently switch families and embark on a journey of laughter and tears.
Lei Jiayin rose to prominence in 2012 with his role in the film “GUNS AND ROSES”directed by Ning Hao. He has since appeared in various films and TV series, including “BROTHERHOOD OF BLADES II: THE INFERNAL BATTLEFIELD”, “HOW LONG WILL I LOVE U”, “A WRITER'S ODYSSEY”, “THE LONGEST DAY IN CHANG’AN”, “A LIFELONG JOURNEY”, “THE HEART OF GENIUS”, “FULL RIVER RED”, and “FIVE HUNDRED MILES” . In 2022, he won the Best Actor at the 31st China TV Golden Eagle Awards for his performance in the TV drama“A LIFELONG JOURNEY”. Lei Jiayin is known for his dedication to acting and his ability to portray diverse characters. His relaxed and nuanced acting style has garnered recognition and popularity among industry professionals and audiences.
Over the past five years, the Belt and Road Film Week has screened a total of 87 films, and outstanding art films from many countries have reached film festivals in the member countries through the Belt and Road Film Tour. With the support of the ambassadors, it is expected that the Belt and Road Film Week will better serve as a hub and bridge that connects filmmakers, industry professionals, and film enthusiasts.
The Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance was established during the 21st SIFF in 2018 and currently has 55 member institutions from 48 countries. In the same year, the Belt and Road Film Week was launched, featuring a series of activities such as screenings, forums, industry dialogues, and market promotions. Leveraging the platform advantages of the Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance, the SIFF initiated the Belt and Road Film Tour, to recommend outstanding Chinese films and filmmakers to participate in film festivals in countries along the Belt and Road, forming a linkage for year-round screenings and global tours. This initiative promotes extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits among filmmakers and film institutions in Belt and Road countries, further deepening the exchange and mutual learning of film culture and talent, and facilitating people-to-people connectivity among the countries.