Los Angeles– “China Film Night” was successfully held at Sony Pictures in Los Angeles, showcasing a slate of new film projects and presenting several high-profile highlights. During the highly anticipated annual American Film Market (AFM), the November 14th evening event brought together industry guests from China and the United States for a celebration of Chinese-language cinema. Hosted by the Golden Screen Awards, the event received strong support from the Motion Picture Association (MPA), China Film Co-Production Corporation, Beijing International Film Festival, and other institutions.
Representing the MPA, William Feng, President of Greater China and Vice President for Asia-Pacific, traveled to Los Angeles for the occasion. In his remarks, he praised the cultural exchange platform created by “China Film Night” during AFM and emphasized the vast collaborative potential between the film industries of China and the United States—not only in creative development and talent cultivation but also across markets and industrial systems. Events like this, he noted, play a vital role in deepening mutual understanding and fostering win-win cooperation.
Four film projects were presented during the event:
• West By Northwest 《北回归线以北》Feature Film
• China’s Secret Garden – Suzhou 《我在苏州学非遗》Documentary • I Am Here 《我在》Documentary Short
• Ice World 《冰建王国》Documentary
West By Northwest is one of three spotlighted opening films of the 2025 Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival. It is also the first feature film in Chinese cinema to center on RV travel. Using a cross-country RV road trip as its narrative framework, the film portrays contemporary Chinese lives amid emotional conflict, shifting family dynamics, rapid social change, and evolving lifestyles. Writer-director and lead actor Zhao Hantang, along with leading actress Wang Ji, attended the event in person to present exclusive clips and discuss the creative process. Their onstage conversation with host Kim Holland was dynamic and engaging, generating significant anticipation among the guests.
Pairing outdoor aesthetics with genuine emotional storytelling, the film offers a compelling road-movie experience tailor-made for audiences interested in RV culture, outdoor living, and travel narratives—while also reflecting the post-pandemic search for renewed ways of life. Starring Zhao Hantang, Simon Yam, Wang Ji, Jiang Yiyan, and Zhu Hongjia, the film balances artistic depth with broad commercial appeal. Zhao noted, “I hope this outdoor-themed film—shot with great care across half of China— will be embraced by the many viewers who love nature, adventure, and the open road, just like our earlier expedition film Seventy-Seven Days.”
The documentary China’s Secret Garden – Suzhou focuses on key elements of China’s intangible cultural heritage, including Kunqu opera, Suzhou Pingtan, Suzhou embroidery, Biluochun tea, and imperial kiln golden bricks. It follows a young man from Beijing who travels to Suzhou fueled by a passion for traditional culture. By living and learning alongside master artisans, he gradually discovers the cultural roots and spiritual values embedded in their craft. The audience responded enthusiastically to the thoughtful cultural insights shared by co-producer Zhang Yujia during the event.
Zhang also introduced “I Am Here” a documentary short currently in production that extends the thematic thread of China’s Secret Garden – Suzhou—moving from observing “craft” to contemplating “existence.” With poetic and introspective visuals, the film captures how young people reassess life’s meaning and personal direction after engaging deeply with traditional culture.
Ice World, directed by Qi Binying and released in China on December 7, 2023, documents the creation of Harbin Ice and Snow World. Filmed over four years, it offers the first comprehensive look at the entire process—from ice harvesting and transportation to sculpting and construction—highlighting the collaborative labor of more than ten thousand workers operating under extreme winter conditions. The documentary reveals how massive ice structures are completed within only 15 days and portrays the real lives of ordinary laborers, such as ice cutters who carve out 500 square meters of ice each day and builders who work 16–18-hour shifts. Every structure reflects the creativity and technical mastery of its designers, with each block of ice representing extraordinary effort and craftsmanship. As the first documentary tracing the history of ice architecture in China, the film also revisits the origins of Harbin’s ice- and-snow tradition (dating back to the 1963 Ice Lantern Garden Party) and examines how technological innovation is reshaping the demands of this unique craft. The film has been selected by 19 international festivals and has won 9 awards.
“China Film Night” is the signature annual event of the Golden Screen Awards at AFM, created to foster high-quality exchanges between Hollywood and Chinese filmmakers. With participants from production companies, distributors, film festivals, cultural institutions, and media organizations, the event continues to inject fresh momentum and imagination into international film collaboration.
