In 1905, Ren Qingtai filmed "Dingjun Mountain" at Fengtai Photo Studio, using the lens to record the flowing moves of Peking Opera artist Tan Xinpei. The film premiered in the Daguanlou Film Park in the same year, and the Chinese film officially kicked off since then. So far, Chinese films have been around for 120 years. During the two years, my predecessors have experienced ups and downs and have written countless brilliant chapters for Chinese films.

　　From the earliest existing feature film "Labor Love", to "Spring in a Small Town", which is known as the first Chinese film; from the founding work of New China, "Bridge", to the fifth generation of directors shining in the world film industry; from the classic work of the Wan brothers "Princess Iron Fan", to "Three Thousand Miles of Chang'an", which outlines the rise and fall of the Tang Dynasty, this Beijing International Film Festival specially planned to celebrate the 120th anniversary of the birth of Chinese films, the "Empression of Two Jiazi: Chinese Film Special Exhibition" has been linked with the development path of Chinese films with 25 masterpieces.

　　"Dingjun Mountain"

　　Light and shadow first appear and reach the peak

　　After "Dingjun Mountain", various films shot by Chinese people sprung up like mushrooms after a rain. In 1922, "Labor Love" directed by Zhang Shichuan was released. The film is extremely breakthrough in scene switching, camera use, plot design, etc. The funny love story with local characteristics is still hilarious at present, and the film is also the earliest short feature film in my country.

　　In the turbulent social environment at that time, many films disappeared from the long river of history, and some crossed the ocean. In 2011, the Norwegian National Library accidentally found several copies of the film in the Norwegian language "EDDERKOPPENE" ("Spider") in its collection. After multiple identifications by both China and Norway, it was finally confirmed that this was "Pansi Cave" directed by Dan Du Yu in 1926. The film was released in China in 1927. The bold and avant-garde and beautiful scenes made it extremely sensation in the domestic market at that time. After it flowed overseas, it premiered in Norway in 1929 and finally returned to its hometown in 2014. Eighty-five years have unintentionally responded to the "Journey to the West" and "Returning to the East" of its prototype story.

　　The timeline of history entered the 1930s and 1940s, and internal and external troubles inspired a large number of aspiring, knowledgeable and talented people to create enthusiasm. Films such as "Shen Yun Children", "Mulan Joins the Army", "Crows and Sparrows" reflect and criticize reality in different forms, becoming the spiritual force that calls on the public to unite. At the same time, creators are also actively trying various expressions of film art. In 1934, "The Goddess" directed by Wu Yonggang was released. The film's attention to the underlying women in the core, its breakthrough in camera language in the image, and Ruan Lingyu's unparalleled acting skills made her the pinnacle of Chinese silent films.

　　Film sound technology also developed rapidly in the 1930s. "The Road Angel" directed by Yuan Muzhi in 1937 was a symbol of the maturity of Chinese film sound. In addition, the film's skillful scene scheduling and profound revelation of reality make it considered a pioneer of Italian neo-realism.

　　In 1948, "Spring in a Small Town" directed by Fei Mu broke through the aesthetic of the times, not only among the rankings of many world film history business cards, but also influenced countless film creators in later generations.

　　Rebuilding glory in reform after chaos

　　In the early days of the founding of New China, everything was in trouble. The feature film "Bridge" produced by Northeast Film Studio (now Changchun Film Studio) became the starting point for filming in New China. State-owned studios were established throughout the country, and Chinese films began to enter the stage of large-scale and systematic production. A large number of revolutionary historical films such as "The Battle of the South and the North" and "Heroic Sons and Daughters" emerged, and the atmosphere of the times is strong.

　　At the same time, creators continue to make efforts in the exploration of film art. The movie adapted from Lao She's novel was on the screen during this period. Among them, "My Life" directed and starred by Shi Hui achieved a double harvest of box office and reputation. The film uses individual destiny to see the torrent of history and uses the changes of the times to reflect the joys and sorrows of the world. It also reaches an extremely high artistic level in terms of camera scheduling, actor performance, music and sound. Shi Hui also had a great impact on the film creation of Jiang Wen, chairman of the jury of this year's Beijing Film Festival. Films such as "Early Spring February" and "Lin Jiashuzi" inherit the implicit beauty of "Spring in a Small Town" in the 1940s. The style that embodies emotions and blends emotions is also an extremely important part of building a Chinese film aesthetic system at present.

　　In the 1980s, Chinese films ushered in new glory in the huge wave of reform and opening up. In 1983, the film "One and Eight" produced by the "Class 78" of Nortel Film Academy marked the full debut of the fifth generation of directors. Chen Kaige's "Loess Land" innovates Chinese film aesthetics, and Zhang Yimou's "Red Sorghum" promotes Chinese films to the world. During this period, new and old directors appeared on the creative stage together, including "Old Things in the South of the City", "Black Cannon Incident", "Man·Ghost·Love", and "Shaolin Temple" co-produced with Hong Kong, all of which are blooming. "The Girl in Red" screened in "The Cheerful of Two Jiazi: Chinese Film Special Exhibition" is a relatively niche among the works of this period for today's audiences. Director Lu Xiaoya observes life from the perspective of a girl and reflects on education. The protagonist An Ran has also become a youth idol of a generation.

　　As the film industry reform gradually deepens, private film companies and state-owned studios work together, Chinese films have begun to develop in a more diverse direction. Whether it is "Party A and Party B", which precedes the Chinese New Year movie, or "Breaking Out of the Sky", the benchmark for the main theme movie, or "No Mountain, That Man and That Dog", which is still well-known overseas, Chinese films are now moving towards a new era with a grand posture.

　　Watch the rise of animations between the ups and downs

　　During this year's Spring Festival, "Nezha: The Devil Child's Trouble" broke through strongly, breaking several records in Chinese movie box office, and ranking among the top five movie box office in the world. The film not only allows the world to see the infinite charm of Chinese animation, but also allows Chinese films to enter a new stage of development.

　　Chinese animated films were pioneered by the Wan brothers. One of the earliest domestic short films, "Rat and Frog", is a preliminary exploration of its aesthetic style, and it can still be seen that the imitation of Western animation is. By the 1941 "Princess Iron Fan", the picture had clearly reflected the reference of Chinese painting and opera art, and the action design of characters during fighting also referenced the Peking Opera performance form. The film caused a sensation after it was released and even affected the subsequent development of Japanese animation.

　　The Northeast Film Studio also tried to film animated films in the early days of its establishment. "The Emperor's Dream" directed by Chen Boer exposes the corruption of the Kuomintang in the form of a puppet show, and "Catching the Turtle in the Urn" directed by Fang Ming satirizes Chiang Kai-shek and his rule with his wild imagination. Both films have distinct characteristics of the times. After the establishment of Shanghai Art Film Studio in 1957, Chinese animated films began to enter the golden period. Works such as "The Proud General", "Zhu Bajie Eats Watermelon", and "The Tadpole Looking for Mother" are combined with traditional Chinese art such as opera, paper cutting, shadow puppets, and ink painting. Classic works such as "The Great Trouble" and "Nezha Trouble in the Sea" are internationally renowned for their unique oriental aesthetics.

　　However, since the 1990s, a large number of foreign animations have poured in, and the development of Chinese animated films has fallen into a downturn, and the audience has been limited to young children. It was not until the emergence of "Journey to the West: The Return of the Great Sage" in 2015 that the prejudice of "animation = young" was broken and the use of "traditional IP + era expression + technological innovation" opened up a new era of development for Chinese animated films. "Three Thousand Miles of Chang'an" released in 2023 tells the friendship stories under the changes of the times with "painted scroll narrative". The picture combining modern special effects and traditional ink and wash makes the poems in the book become real and sensible, and the film has also become an excellent example of the Chinese animated film school.

　　In 2015, "The Old Friends of Mountains and Rivers" directed by Jia Zhangke uses a story that transcends the times to describe the changes in the world. The 2025, which points to the future, is exactly what it is now. Looking back at the two-game road of Chinese films, the creators are constantly moving forward in the turmoil. There may still be winds and waves in the future, but the light and shadow will last forever, and the road ahead will be smooth. (Xiao Nan)

[Editor in charge: Tang Wei]