Life

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(China Daily)
Updated: 2011-01-06 07:56

Documentary wins award

Famous talk show host Cui Yongyuan (pictured), who has turned to documentary making, picked up an achievement award at the recent first Documentary Gala hosted by Web portal Sohu.com.

My Own War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression chronicles the experiences of individuals swept up in the war (1937-1945). A book with the same title has also been a best-seller.

The other award-winning works cover a variety of subjects, from the environment to the lives of Chinese living in the United States.

The jury comprised renowned documentary makers such as Jia Zhangke and Zhang Tongdao, who selected 12 out of the more than 1,000 entries by professionals and amateurs.

Cui's documentary is now available on Sohu's video channel.

Harbin Film Festival

The 23rd edition of the Harbin Film Festival will roll on Jan 15 in this Heilongjiang province city.

It will be led by Hong Kong filmmaker Manfred Wong, former chairman of Hong Kong Film Awards, and veteran director John Woo.

The festival will include a special session titled, Golden Decade of Mainland-Hong Kong Co-productions, in which filmmakers who have contributed to the cooperation between the two regions' film industries will be given awards.

Other highlights include a lecture by Woo, forums on China's film industry and the screening of some latest films.

Ceramics under the hammer

An under glazed, blue porcelain vase and a white jade shanzi (mountain shaped ornament), both from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), are highlights of Beijing Poly Auction's ceramic and antique sales on Jan 15 and 16, with a three-day preview from Jan 12 to 14.

The porcelain vase with floral designs and a water chestnut shape is a classic example of the royal kiln from the Yongzheng rule (1722-1735), while the exquisite jade piece bears the motif "haiwu tianchou", which means adding tallies to the immortal's abode above sea and is a traditional birthday greeting.

The auctions will feature more than 1,800 lots of high quality antiques from the collection of Tsui Tsin-tong, the late art connoisseur. The sales will also present 50-odd lots of British antique silverware.

Qiyi inaugurates awards show

Video-sharing website Qiyi.com recently launched an awards ceremony in Beijing for films, TV shows and their creators in 2010.

Feng Xiaogang's Aftershock, a film about the emotional bond between a mother and her daughter 32 years after an earthquake, was honored as Film of the Year.

Director of the Year went to Chen Kaige, whose period thriller Sacrifice caused a stir among cinema fans and critics at the end of 2010.

Liu Yifei (pictured) was voted Actress of the Year for her performance in romantic comedy Love in Disguise.

The 12 awards were based on the decisions of a jury made up of experts, netizens' votes and the number of times candidates were the subject of searches on Baidu.com, the country's biggest search engine.

Established in April 2010, Qiyi has been striving to become China's Hulu, offering free, legitimate, high-definition films and TV shows.

Discussion on Chinese culture

The 8th International Forum on Cultural Industries, China, will be held at Peking University on Sunday.

The theme of the forum is "Prospects for 2020: A New Decade of Chinese Cultural Industries". Initiated by the Institute for Cultural Industries of Peking University, it will discuss how traditional Chinese culture can be infused in more products in various industries.

Among the topics under discussion will be the popular novel A Story of Lala's Promotion and the business development of Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf.

CAFA museum celebrates Life

The Life Art Festival recently kicked off at the Art Museum of Central Academy of Fine Arts to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Life magazine.

Adopting the theme of "Aspiration", the festival uses "Time, Space and People" to group painters, photographers, writers and musicians that Life magazine has focused on from 2005 to 2010.

Artists such as Xu Bing, Lu Nan and Zhu Zheqin present their thoughts on life through exhibitions, forums, handicraft workshops and live performances.

The festival will last till Jan 16.

New art center opens

The China Shijitan Contemporary Art Center opened on New Year's Eve at the China Millennium Monument with a series of cultural events entitled "Hi! Beijing".

The events include a Chinese opera recital with selections from 19 traditional Chinese operas, an art exhibition, The Folding/Box, and various music festivities.

The China Shijitan Contemporary Art Center is in the B zone at the China Millennium Monument square and includes an exhibition space and a multi-media theater.