Pingtan, a coastal hub in Fujian Province, southeastern China, has established itself as a pivotal launchpad for emerging cross-Straits cinematic talent via the Pingtan In Moments (IM) Film Festival. At the 7th edition of China's prestigious Golden Rooster Film Venture Capital Conference, a cohort of alumni from this Pingtan-based festival secured top honors with their feature film projects, underscoring the platform's role in fostering next-generation filmmakers.

In the conference's main competition segment, Liao Weikai's drama-romance Vanished in the Wind was named "Xiamen-Made Outstanding Project." Cai Kunyu's Boss Has Business Closed for a Day earned a Special Attention designation and claimed the "Best Legal Commercial Potential Award" under the Golden Shield Program. Both directors previously participated in Pingtan IM's main competition, a stepping stone that propelled their transition from short films to feature-length works.

The Work-in-Progress (WIP) unit—focused on unreleased films in production—saw two Pingtan IM graduates take home the "Dawn Honor." Chen Yucong's documentary There Will Be a Next Spring additionally secured the Peng Yuchang Special Support Cooperation Project award, while Aimaiti Maimaiti's comedy-romance Good Drink Pub also clinched the "Dawn Honor." Chen won acclaim at the 2nd Pingtan IM for his short Unfinished Life, and Aimaiti took home Best Film at the same festival for his short Accordion.

Filmmakers highlighted Pingtan IM's role in their professional growth. "Pingtan IM is where my dream became visible," Liao noted. "After being shortlisted with my short film Unspoken Sorrow last year, I connected with fellow passionate creators and engaged with students at leading Chinese film schools through the festival's youth screenings—experiences that gave me the confidence to pursue feature filmmaking." Aimaiti opened up about the challenges of directing: "Pre-production and shooting were grueling; I often thought about quitting to teach in Shanghai. But filmmaking is like having a child—painful to bring to life, yet once it takes shape, you can't help but want to create again."

Launched in 2019, the Golden Rooster Film Venture Capital Conference serves as a cornerstone platform for emerging Chinese filmmakers, featuring three core units: main competition, WIP, and sci-fi. This year's main unit drew 1,087 valid submissions, with 15 final roadshow projects and 15 Special Attention selections. The WIP unit showcased 8 projects in its final presentation round.

Cai, who aims to amplify Fujian's local stories, emphasized his connection to the region: "It's a privilege to bring my work back to my hometown through the Golden Rooster and Pingtan IM." Chen stressed the impact of documentary storytelling: "Long-term documentation of real-life stories builds profound emotional depth, and Pingtan IM's repeated invitations to screen my work confirmed that my films can resonate with audiences."