The third Cross Straits Film Festival (CSFF), also known as Pingtan IM, concluded on September 14 after three captivating days filled with movie magic, lively vitality, and dreams.

What has Pingtan IM brought us over the past three editions? The answer might lie in the number 1894, which represents the total submissions received for this year's festival. These submissions came from 331 universities worldwide, marking a record-breaking figure compared to previous editions. From the diverse film entries, we find stories that mirror the spirit of our era, delving into themes like family dynamics, the challenges of growing up, and the evolution of education.

One local resident of Pingtan, Chen Muqing, immersed herself in the cinema for two consecutive days, appreciating the depth and inclusiveness of this year's film festival. She expressed her admiration for the empathy conveyed through the content and the ingenious scriptwriting and filmmaking techniques, which have raised her expectations for Pingtan IM.

Renowned international film producer and curator Marco Müller, who participated in the film selection process, spoke highly of the film's qualities at the festival. He believes that Pingtan IM will give rise to its own generation of talented filmmakers, comparable to the likes of Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige, and Tian Zhuangzhuang.

Pingtan IM is indeed a "young" film festival. Among the 1,894 submissions received this year, 88.6% of the creative teams were composed of post-'95 young filmmakers. The festival also received 5,387 volunteer applications, with Chen Jie, a graduate student majoring in film directing at the Shanghai Theatre Academy, being one of them. Chen described the experience as enriching and expressed hopes that it would inspire his future creative works. Perhaps he will be one of the "1 in 1894" filmmakers in the coming years. With the numbers increasing from 1,195 submissions in the first edition to 1,376 in the second and now 1,894 in the third, we witness the vibrant creative drive of young people and the expanding reach of Pingtan IM into the vision of more young filmmakers.

Su Shufen, the recipient of the highest honor, the "Kylin Best Film," in the inaugural Pingtan IM, appreciates the recognition for her work. She expressed gratitude for the opportunities and exposure that the festival provided, including commercial shoot offers. This year, Su Shufen completed another project and expressed her hope to showcase it at Pingtan IM next year. Among the 50 shortlisted films in the third edition, 15 came from Taiwan, demonstrating the growing participation and recognition of young Taiwanese filmmakers in the festival.

Su Shufen is just one example. The previous editions of the festival have seen a hundred young filmmakers participate, and they have collectively won over 400 international awards. The faces and works of these young creators have gained increasing attention and support through Pingtan IM.

"For a work, having a place that acknowledges it for the first time is crucial," said Jiang Baiting, a young director who participated in Pingtan IM for the first time. Her short film, "Garden with Diverging Paths," received the Kylin Excellent Short Film award in the second edition, but that was not the end of her journey. This year, Jiang turned her short film into a feature-length project and participated in Pingtan IM's "Unstoppable Growth" program, ultimately securing the IM Preferred Proposal, enabling her to further develop her filmmaking career.

Jiang Baiting is not alone in her success. Directors Yang Ming and Yang Juan, who participated in previous editions of the festival, have begun shooting feature-length films, showcasing their growth as filmmakers. Jiang Baiting made a promise for the future, inviting fellow filmmakers to bring their future works to Pingtan and let the festival witness their growth.

Indeed, we firmly believe that the number 1894 is merely a starting point. Pingtan IM will continue to gain visibility and provide a platform for more young creators to be seen by the world.

"We have confidence in Pingtan IM," said Wang Xiaoshuai, a renowned Chinese director and chairman of the jury for the main competition section. Not only did the festival attract talented "fresh blood" from around the globe, but it has also garnered the support of veterans in the film industry like Xie Fei and Marco Müller. Pingtan IM will only get better with time.

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