In recent years, Chinese art films have achieved remarkable success on the international stage, becoming a hot topic of discussion among global film audiences. From the film "Sleepless Night" directed by Ding Zijun, to "Tang Qunying of One Generation" starring Tian Hairong, and "Redemption of the Soul" starring Wang Xun, a series of domestic art films have won numerous honors at international film festivals with its unique artistic style and profound thematic content.

1. What makes "Sleepless Night" the darling of the international film scene?

"Sleepless Night" has stood out among many entries at major film festivals with its unique style and profound exploration of human nature, becoming one of the representative works of Chinese art films in recent years.

The film tells the story of an insomniac's spiritual journey in the city at night, portraying a spiritual map of modern urbanites through the protagonist Riche's perspective. Director Ding Zijun uses a lot of long shots and subjective perspectives to vividly depict the loneliness, warmth, alienation, and connection of the nighttime city.

This work, combining elements of suspense, thriller, and romance, has won the Audience Award for Feature-Length Stories at the 10th Barcelona Universal International Film Festival, the Best New Director award at the 15th Macau International Film Festival Golden Lotus Awards, and the Best Non-European Film award at the 19th European Independent Film Festival, one of the four major independent film festivals in the world. It was also nominated for the International Feature-Length Film Competition at the 19th European Independent Film Festival, the Feature-Length Story Unit at the 7th New Delhi International Film Festival, and the International Feature-Length Film Competition Unit at the 5th Melbourne Images of the Universe Film Festival, among others, achieving remarkable results.

In addition to director Ding Zijun's ingenious creation, another key factor that contributed to "Sleepless Night" becoming a darling of the international film scene was Sfilmmaker, a global film festival registration and award submission platform under Shaw Brothers Film Culture Communication (Beijing) Co., Ltd.

"'Sleepless Night' is not only a suspenseful thriller but also a profound work that explores human nature and self-redemption. It is a fine production based on the storytelling of the past, present, and future karma in Buddhism. From the perspective of artistic style, 'Sleepless Night' is like a meticulously constructed maze of the heart," said Sfilmmaker CEO Ms. Shaw Xingying.

"We have been involved since the planning stage of the film, helping director Ding Zijun streamline the film's thematic core to ensure its standout performance at international film festivals."

To ensure better understanding by international audiences, Sfilmmaker's signed expert David James Bell proofread the international promotional materials and the full subtitles of the film, with award-winning directors from Berlin and Venice Film Festivals providing full artistic guidance for this film.

2. A glamorous transition from actor to director

The breakthrough of "Sleepless Night" into international markets has made director Ding Zijun a focus of the film scene. Ms. Shaw Xingying also stated, "'Sleepless Night's success was not accidental."

Prior to this, Ding Zijun was mainly active in the film and television industry as an actor, starring in Xu Anhua's "A Woman in Her Forties," which earned him a nomination for the Best Newcomer Award at the 15th Hong Kong Film Awards. He also appeared in TV dramas such as "Shanghai Love," "Tears of Heaven: Phoenix Unparalleled," "Glory of the Older Generation," among others, accumulating rich acting experience.

"Sleepless Night" is Ding Zijun's first feature film as a director, boldly using new actors and taking seven years to prepare and polish the film.

With his directorial debut, Ding Zijun has achieved remarkable results, demonstrating his potential and outstanding talent in the field of directing.

3. Will the "divine assistance" bring more possibilities?

Not just "Sleepless Night," Sfilmmaker has provided "divine assistance" on the film festival submission journey for other films as well.

The film "Tang Qunying of One Generation," starring the renowned actress Tian Hairong, tells a historical legend from a female perspective. The film has sparked wide discussions domestically and gained much attention in the international film scene. Tian Hairong is well-known to domestic audiences for her roles in TV dramas such as "Under the Yang Men," "Romantic Girl," "Beautiful Silver," "Thunderstorm," "Black Ice," "A Woman Never Cries," and "The Florist," among others.

Tian Hairong won the Best Actress award at the Nordic International Film Festival for "Tang Qunying of One Generation"

At international film festivals, "Tang Qunying of One Generation" received four nominations including Best Director and Best Actress at the Nordic International Film Festival, ultimately winning the Best Actress award; it also received three nominations, including Best New Director, Best Foreign Language Narrative Feature, and the Jury Award, at the 8th Nice International Film Festival in France, and ultimately won the "Best New Director" award.

Ms. Shao Xinying said, "The success of 'Soul of a Generation: Tang Qunying' proves the potential of female-oriented films in the international market. We hope to showcase more Chinese women's stories to the world through the platform of Sfilmmaker."

Another film, "Redemption of Soul," starring the renowned actor Wang Xun, has reached a broader global audience through international promotion on Sfilmmaker.

The film portrays the light and darkness of human nature through the story of an ordinary individual. It won the Best Asian Actor award at the 2nd Netherlands New Vision International Film Festival, was nominated for Best Picture, and also received awards for Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Actress at the 3rd India World Film Festival, becoming another Chinese art film recognized in the international film industry. Wang Xun, who has starred in films and TV dramas like "Crazy Stone," "My Own Swordsman," "My Chief and My Regiment," and "Hello Mr. Billionaire," has demonstrated outstanding acting skills acknowledged by multiple international film festivals.

Wang Xun's "Redemption of Soul" wins the Best Asian Actor award at the 2nd Netherlands New Vision International Film Festival

"In terms of award submission strategy, based on the artistic characteristics and thematic content of the films, Sfilmmaker tailors submission plans accordingly and accurately selects suitable international film festivals. In terms of publicity and promotion, Sfilmmaker utilizes a wealth of international resources to arrange multiple overseas screenings and filmmaker exchange activities," Ms. Shao Xinying introduced.

"We aim to bring more Chinese films to the world through film festivals," Ms. Shao Xinying stated, "In the future, we will continue to deepen cooperation with filmmakers domestically and internationally."

Actor Wang Xun with Sfilmmaker CEO Shao Xinying

From "Sleepless Rich" to "Soul of a Generation: Tang Qunying" and "Redemption of Soul," and in the future, with more outstanding works, Sfilmmaker will continue to provide films with targeted positioning, production guidance, award submission strategies, and publicity and promotion. Through a complete service system and professional service approach, Sfilmmaker aims to secure more opportunities for exposure at film festivals. Additionally, Sfilmamker will recommend films one-on-one offline at international ABCD category film festivals, and showcase them at film markets such as Cannes, Berlin, and Hong Kong, providing services to assist Chinese film projects in commercializing internationally through multiple channels and perspectives.

In the future, Shao Films will focus on exploring and investing in top-tier art film projects, while its sub-label Sfilmmaker actively expands international distribution business, aiming to bring excellent Chinese films to the global market. Through deep cooperation with international distribution companies, streaming platforms, and cinemas, Sfilmmaker offers a full-chain service from film festivals to commercial distribution. Whether it's an art film or a commercial film, Sfilmmaker will tailor international distribution strategies based on the film's characteristics, ensuring maximum exposure and returns worldwide.