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Celebrating excellence at the Pingyao International Film Festival
The 8th edition of the Pingyao International Film Festival in China concluded with a grand celebration, awarding its top honor to “Karst,” a compelling drama by Chinese filmmaker Yang Suiyi. This film intricately portrays the life of a cattle breeder who traverses villages and towns in Southwest China to treat sick cattle. The jury praised the film for its “great fullness, simplicity, and subtlety,” highlighting its profound depiction of a region and a woman. The prestigious prize, valued at RMB1 million ($142,000), is split equally between the director for future film development and the film’s Chinese distributor.
Recognizing outstanding direction and performances
The Best Director Award was bestowed upon Tang Yongkang for his film “Stars and Moon,” which the jury described as having “savagely poetic direction.” This accolade includes a prize of RMB200,000 to support future film projects.
In the acting categories, Jiang Zhuojun received the Best Actress Award for her role in ”Betwixt and Between,” directed by Zhou Quan. Meanwhile, Xu Chaoyang was honored with the Best Actor Award for his performance in Xu Lei’s “Green Wave.”
Honoring contributions to cinema
In addition to the competitive awards, the festival also recognized significant contributions to cinema. Renowned Chinese director Chen Kaige and Brazil’s Walter Salles were presented with the Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon East-West Award. This award celebrates their exceptional work in bridging Eastern and Western cinematic traditions. Furthermore, critic and curator Tony Rayns was honored for his international contributions to Chinese cinema. These awards are named after Fei Mu, one of the most revered and influential directors in Chinese film history.
Leadership in the Producers Guild of India
Shibasish Sarkar has been re-elected as the president of the Producers Guild of India for a third consecutive term. During the annual general meeting in Mumbai, other key members were also re-elected, including Manish Goswami and Madhu Bhojwani as vice presidents, and Ashim Samanta and Fazila Allana as treasurers. Additionally, Aashish Singh, Dipti Kotak, and Ankur Garg were elected as vice presidents, ensuring a strong leadership team for the guild.
Netflix expands its reach in South Korea
Global streaming giant Netflix is set to be included in a local subscriber bundle in South Korea. Naver Plus members can now access Netflix’s ad-supported tier for KRW4,900 ($3.73) per month or opt for an annual package at $35.70. This marks the first time Netflix, which leads the Korean streaming market but lacks the sports content offered by Tving, is being offered within a Korean platform.
Leadership changes at Dentsu APAC
Rob Gilby, who has served as CEO of Dentsu APAC since 2022, has stepped down from his position. Before joining Dentsu, Gilby was the president of APAC at media measurement firm Nielsen and founded Blue Hat Ventures, a media investment and advisory firm. His extensive career includes roles at Warner Media, PwC, and The Walt Disney Company, as well as non-executive positions with Singapore’s InfoComm Media Development Authority and as chair of the Singapore Media Festival.
New leadership at Nippon TV’s global content business
Nippon TV, a prominent Japanese broadcast and content group, has appointed Hiramatsu Satoru as the managing director of its global content business. Hiramatsu, who previously worked in Nippon TV’s linear and streaming programming division, will now report directly to Kuwahara Yuzo, operating officer and president of content business. He replaces Nishiyama Mikiko, who has transitioned to the role of executive advisor of global strategy headquarters.
In his new role, Hiramatsu will oversee the global content sales and promotion team, responsible for the success of hit formats such as “Dragons’ Den/Shark Tank,” “Old Enough!,” and “Mother.”
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