Official Launch of "CN Shorts": 70 Influencers Rally to Support Chinese Short Films

Beijing, China, January 27, 2016 --(PR.com)-- CN Shorts officially launches today as a global effort to celebrate the making of Chinese short films that have far-reaching crossover appeal. 'CN Shorts' seeks to promote new emerging talent among Chinese film makers who are able to best capture audiences, markets and sales in China and abroad.

Though the Chinese movie industry grows at a staggering pace­ - projected to become the world’s largest by 2017 - it continues to play catch-up. Western producers are able to sell their films around the world, while Chinese producers are often confined to the local market.

In China, there is a resounding need to develop directorial talent−those who understand the importance of global influence. Why shouldn’t Chinese producers and directors be able to make international films? Today, achieving this is a rarity; 'CN Shorts' would like to help making this common practice.

By helping young Chinese talent gain international recognition, 'CN Shorts' will put them on the fast track to accessing key decision makers in China and abroad. They will work on global coproductions and films, acting as cultural leaders, facilitating greater awareness and understanding of their native home.

"CN Shorts looks for internationally-minded Chinese women and men who are willing to become global film directors," says Vincent Fischer, CN Shorts' agent. "Our hope is that their movies will become so successful, audiences around the world will queue to see them."

The inaugural jury of 70 international influencers and entertainment industry insiders will select the nominees across ten award categories, as listed below:

Awards
- Best Film, Best Script, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Cinematographer, Best Music, Best SFX, Best International Audience Potential, Foreign Press Best Film Award.
- The best films are selected by the selection committee on an ongoing basis as new films are proposed by Chinese films directors and producers.
- Jury Awards: ongoing votes for the best selected films, with the new Awards are announced during each of the following film festivals: Cannes 2016, Venice, Toronto, Los Angeles, Dubai, Sundance 2017, Berlin.
- "Awards of the Year" announced yearly. The first "Awards of the Year" will be announced during AFM in November 2016.

Jury

Jury members are international movie and entertainment marketing experts from around the world, voting online on the selected short films:

1. Cody Allen, President, Le Baron, Shanghai
2. Andy Anderson, Head Of International Film And Marketing, Dmg, Beijing
3. Black, Make-Up Artist, Beijing
4. Emilie Blezat, Head Of China, Studio Canal, Beijing
5. Sam Bobino, President, La Baule Film Festival, France
6. Sergey Bogachev, Director China, Federation Of Russian Producers, Beijing
7. Marc Bonduel, Ceo, Latin American Festival, Biarritz
8. Christopher Brenble, Ceo, Base Fx, Beijing
9. Alison Buck, Agent, Bohemian Entertainment, London
10. Oriol Capel, Producer, Aparte, Madrid
11. Joseph Catanzaro, Reporter, Cctv China Insight, Beijing
12. Jon Chiew, Director International, Huace Entertainment, Beijing
13. Cyril Colbeau-Justin, Ceo, Lgm Productions, Paris
14. Keith Collea, Independent Producer, Beijing
15. Reza Dari, Ceo, International Film Fund, Dubai
16. Thierry Decourcelle, Vice President International Acquisitions, Ugc, Paris
17. Jordan Defazio, Director International Program, Beijing Film Academy, Beijing
18. James Dick, Senior Vice President Marketing, Live Nation, Hong Kong
19. John Dietz, Producer, Bangbang, Beijing
20. Tristan Du Laz, Ceo, Tf1 Vod, Paris
21. Emmanuel Durand, Senior Vp Marketing, Warner Bros. Entertainment, Paris
22. David Dusa, Film Director, Beijing
23. Julien Faivre, Vice President Productions, Road Pictures, Hong Kong
24. Mark Foster, Ceo, 7digital, London
25. Patrick Frater, Asia Correspondant, Variety, Hong Kong
26. Edoardo Gagliardi, China's Representative, Italy's Anica, Beijing
27. Kevin Geiger, Director Animation Department, Beijing Film Academy, Beijing
28. Alain Gillessen, Vice President Sales & Marketing, Corsan, Bruxelles
29. Christopher Granier-Deferre, President, Poisson Rouge Pictures, London
30. Anne Guimet, Vice President, Prix Lumières Awards, Paris
31. Ali Gursoy, Vice-President Content, Commercializetv, Hong Kong
32. Kelly Hsieh, Overseas Director, Wefilm, Beijing
33. Jimmy Jean-Louis, Actor, Los Angeles
34. K. Blaine Johnston, Managing Director, Vendian Entertainment, Los Angeles
35. Max Keller, Ceo, Keller Entertainment Group, Los Angeles
36. Aynne Kokas, Professor Of Medias Studies, University Of Virginia
37. Victoria Lepper, Agent, London
38. Rain Li, Film Director, Beijing
39. Mercy Liao, Director Of Coproductions, Nbcuniversal, Beijing
40. Lilian Lin, Journalist, The Wall Street Journal, Beijing
41. Chris Liu, Ceo, East Light Production, Beijing
42. Huan Lu, Actress, Beijing
43. Nadia Khamlichi, Ceo, Umedia, Bruxelles
44. Nathalie Laurent, Producer, My Way Productions, Paris
45. Stu Levy, International Chair, Producers Guild Of America, Los Angeles
46. Abdulla Mahmood, Marketing Director, Al Ahli Holding Group, Uae
47. Maarten Melchior, Vice President, Fintage House, Toronto
48. Jean Mizrahi, Ceo, Ymagis, Paris
49. Edwige-Laure Mombouli, Ceo, Wecare, Paris
50. Petteri Pasanen, Ceo, Anima, Finland
51. Suzel Pietri, President, Orbis Media, Paris
52. Elizabeth Peng, Journalist, New York
53. Pitof, Film Director, Los Angeles
54. Marc Piton, Film Consultant, Paris
55. Patrice Poujol, Producer, Box Productions, Hong Kong
56. Franck Priot, Producer, Connectic Studio, Paris
57. Jie Qiu, President, Leomus Production, Beijing
58. Dimitris Raptis, Coo Asia, Bmw Motorrad, Beijing
59. David Rogers, Ceo, Three 13 Entartainment, Beijing
60. Stanley Rosen, Professor, University Of Southern California
61. Marcus Rowland, President, Engine Music, Beijing
62. Dongbing Shan, Founder & Producer, Donwa Pictures, Beijing
63. Toby Sinkim, Independent Producer, Shanghai
64. David Somerset, Curator, British Film Institut, London
65. Jeffrey Soong, Partner, Silverlink Capital, Hong Kong
66. Amanda Sthers, Writer, Los Angeles
67. Yu-Fai Suen, Ceo, Rocket Entertainment, London
68. Elizabeth Sung, Actress, Los Angeles
69. Alex Weimer, Coo, Moviebrats, Berlin
70. Jesse Weiner, Lawyer, Stroock Stroock Lavan, Los Angeles
71. Jing Wu, Independent Producer, Beijing
72. Yanyan Wu, Director Young Talents, China Film Foundation, Beijing
73. Tina Zhai, Executive Vice-President, Entgroup, Beijing

Pre-selection criterias

- Chinese film directors only
- Great feature films from 3 to 15 minutes
- Only films targeting a large international audience
- English language, English subtitles or English script needed

All selected films will be accessible on www.cnshorts.com for the jury to vote. Only the jury members will have access to the selected films, through a secured username and password. Only the winners will be announced and promoted by 'CN Shorts'. If agreed by the winning films' directors, producers and authorities, the winning films will be freely accessible on www.cnshorts.com

To submit films, candidates just have to email them to cnshorts@eastwardent.net. No DVD or other forms of hard copies are accepted. Entry fee is 300RMB per film, only payable by wechat (ID: cnshorts).

About Eastward Entertainment

Eastward Entertainment specializes in raising equity investments, coproduction funds and marketing partners in China for Western entertainment companies, IPs, feature films and live shows, towards the most suitable Chinese investors and strategic partners. More information on www.eastwardent.net

Vincent Fischer is Eastward Entertaiment founding agent. He is also the initiator, facilitator and member of the Board of the 'China Europe Film Fund', co-financed by China Film And TV Capital (Beijing) and Wild Bunch (Paris).

Special thanks to China Film Copyright Association and the Wefilm team for their support and assistance

Contact

Film directors and producers shall submit their short films by email to cnshorts@eastwardent.net or by up-loading their shorts on cnshorts.com. Payment of the subscription fee is by wechat only @ cnshorts.

Journalists' contact:
vincent@eastwardent.net, +86 156 5252 3281, wechat: vincent_fischer