On the evening of August 23rd, the award ceremony for the finals of the 6th "Way to Show Your Creativity" Cross-Strait Youth Creative Short Film Contest, which lasted for three months, was held in Shenzhen. After 48 hours of challenging filmmaking during the finals in Shenzhen, the winners of six awards from 20 teams across the Taiwan Strait were determined by a professional judging panel and the audience. The team "Arte (阿尔特)" from the Taiwan region and the "Sit-ups (仰卧起坐)" from the Guangdong region won the gold awards in the portrait and landscape screen categories respectively.
The contest was organized by GDToday of Nanfang Media Group and UDN Group.CN. Since its launch in March this year, the contest has attracted over 200 youth teams from over 80 universities in Guangdong and Taiwan to produce short films centered on the theme of "innovation." Only twenty teams comprising 60 contestants were selected for the finals. From August 21st to 22nd, they completed their video works within 48 hours based on five designated themes: creation, time, dreams, play, and commitment.
"The works of mainland youths tend to be more realistic, thematically prominent, and emotionally rich, while youths from Taiwan region favor a more free-flowing and individualized style. There are commonalities and complementary strengths in the competition," commented Zhang Zhi'an, co-chair of the judging panel and professor at the School of Journalism at Fudan University. He noted that this year's entries were exceptionally distinctive, fostering intense competition and posing a tough challenge for the judging panel. "When cross-strait youths view the Greater Bay Area together, they discover many similarities between Shenzhen and Taipei, truly experiencing the famous slogan, 'You're a Shenzhener once you come here'."
Zhang Shuwei, co-chair of the judging panel and a film director in Taiwan, believes that the 48-hour challenge format has sparked boundless creativity and energy among contestants from across the Taiwan Strait, with their works surprising the judges. "As we reach the sixth year of the contest, we can see that the entries have become increasingly diversified."
In addition to the thrilling "live scoring of the showdown," the award ceremony also engaged a large audience for interactive viewing through online live broadcasts and online voting. Ultimately, the "Fishy Life (鱼鱼人生)" team from the Taiwan region and the "Really Don't Want to Queue (真的不想排队)" team from the Guangdong region secured the silver and bronze awards respectively in the landscape screen category. Meanwhile, the "Meteor Chasers (流星者)" team from Taiwan and the "GBA" team from Guangdong were awarded the silver and bronze awards in the portrait screen category.
"Dreams are vast, but every step begins from where you stand." As these words resonated throughout the film, the audience erupted in warm applause. The jury was deeply moved by the winning entry, "Footprints," created by the "Arte" team from the Taiwan region. "The characters in our film are real individuals captured on the streets and alleys of Shenzhen. The entire film adopts a tilt-up angle to convey the theme of dreams starting from where you stand," shared team member Pan Baiyu. It was his first time in Shenzhen, and participating in the contest was a journey of pursuing their dreams. "I believe cultural exchange is crucial, during which I've met many mainland friends."
The Portrait Screen Gold Award winner "Arte" team filmed on the streets of Shenzhen
The "Sit-ups" team from the Guangdong region ventured into Huaqiangbei Electronics Market, pig trotter rice restaurants, photography studios, and more, capturing the essence of Shenzhen's diligent dream chasers. "During filming, we encountered kind taxi drivers and food delivery riders. Though they've been in Shenzhen for different lengths of time, they were all willing to share their stories with us," said the team members. Beyond the competition, they also forged friendships with their Taiwan counterparts, learning creative filming techniques and exchanging fascinating cultural insights, broadening their horizons.
The Landscape Screen Gold Award winner "Sit-ups" team
The Silver Award winners skillfully captured Shenzhen's fast-paced lifestyle while showcasing the city's richness in hidden beauty amidst the hustle and bustle, where moments of tranquility coexist. Wu Zehao, a member of the "Fishy Life" team from Taiwan, explained that their work seeks to portray Shenzhen as a "beautiful book," with each chapter unfolding through the performances of the male and female leads, inviting the audience to follow the camera and explore diverse experiences in the city. "The relentless 48-hour challenge yielded great results for us. We hope to continue improving and strive for the championship next time!" The team members shared that the competition had brought them many mainland friends and left cherished memories. "The volunteers worried if we were eating well and offered invaluable advice on choosing filming locations. We're truly grateful."
"Perception & Flow" from the "Fishy Life" team
The "Meteor Chasers" team reflected on the challenges they faced during the competition, emphasizing that "never giving up" was their greatest lesson. "Winning the silver award feels surreal. We really appreciate volunteers' help and ourselves for fighting to the end."
The Guangdong region's "Really Don't Want to Queue" team creatively personalized handicrafts crafted by Shenzhen artisans, eliciting "so cute!" exclamations from the audience. "We're excited that our work received recognition from the judges. After seeing the outstanding entries from other teams, we realize there's still room for improvement. We hope to keep up the momentum next time." The team members beamed as they held up their certificates.
Since its inception in 2018, the "Way to Show Your Creativity" Cross-Strait Youth Creative Short Film Contest has been successfully held for six years, garnering immense attention from youth across the Taiwan Strait and expanding in scale. Each year, the contest attracts over 80 universities and more than 100 film-related clubs and individuals. Exceptional entries are showcased on domestic and international new media platforms, engaging over 30 million viewers. Beyond creating outstanding works, the youth from both sides have forged new friendships, and their works have become bridges facilitating exchanges and cooperation across the Taiwan Strait.
Reporter | Catherine, Wu Caiqian
Photographer | Leo Guo, Pan Jiajun
Video Editor | Leo Guo
Editor | Liao Ying, Xiao Min, Monica, James
