Cannes, France – The 75th Cannes Film Festival ended successfully a few days ago. Tens of thousands of filmmakers gathered in this grand cultural festival to share a film feast. One of the documentaries about China’s Xinjiang, RIPPLES, sparked heated discussions in Cannes. The film was broadcast online on the official platform of Cannes Film Festival on May 19th and 22nd, attracting many audiences, filmmakers and media reporters from all over the world.
Online screening allows audiences from all over the world
to watch Xinjiang stories at home
On May 27, RIPPLES was screened at the Cannes Film Palace, and the director was invited to attend the film festival in person. What is impressive is that after the screening, the audience stood up and applauded for a long time. Many audience members said that they were greatly shocked, which refreshed everyone’s impression of Xinjiang.
Cannes Film Festival guest and the director Benoit
In fact, it is not easy for international audiences to watch documentary filmed in Xinjiang local. This documentary goes deep into the international city of Yiwu in southeastern China and Xinjiang in the northwest China, and records the daily life of four Xinjiang women from a new perspective. In the objective and calm lens, the characters show a simple and real appearance, representing the most authentic voice of Xinjiang, and also let everyone see a vibrant, united and harmonious Xinjiang.
RIPPLES screening in Cannes
Before the Cannes Film Festival, RIPPLES has won the Best Documentary Short Film & Audience Favorite Award at the 2021 Prague Film Festival, and the Grand Jury Prize at the 2021 Amsterdam International Film Festival, receiving critical acclaim at several screenings. Moira Sullivan, a famous Swedish film critic, said after watching the film: It’s a carefully crafted film with exquisite technique. For those who have never been to Xinjiang, the film presents the region as a fascinating mix of tradition and modernity.
The executive director of the Amsterdam International Film Festival said: “Without a doubt, RIPPLES is the biggest surprise of the year. The demanding jury also gave it special praise and unanimously decided to award it the Grand Jury Prize. The film broke culture boundaries and prejudices. A spiritual story of a magical place we’ve never been before. As the film documents, it’s only by putting yourself in that place that you can hear the truest voice.”
Claus Mueller is a professor at Hunter University in NY and works at the International Press Center of the State Department of the State of New York. He commented on RIPPLES: The documentary tells the daily life of Chinese Muslim women from the perspective of Xinjiang women. With the help of real images, the film conveys the common aspirations of the vast majority of Xinjiang local residents to the world.
At the same time, RIPPLES reflects the active private economy and Internet economy in Zhejiang, China, as well as the inclusive and harmonious social atmosphere, and shows the results of the unity and development of all ethnic groups in Zhejiang’s active exploration of the path of common prosperity.
