By Yuling Chen, iChongqing News

“I think Looking China represents a good platform for me to know China, and I have introduced it to my classmates and friends.”

Alisa Pashkova, a representative of 2018 Looking China Youth Film Project participants, flew to Beijing to attend the cultural experience program this year, took an interview with iChongqing before the event.

Last year, the young director from the Saint-Petersburg State University of Film and Television, Russia, won a Second Prize of the 5th (2018) Looking China Golden Lenses Awards for Connection, a short film about Chongqing in Southwest China.

Alisa Pashkova from Russia is a participant of the 2018 Looking China Youth Film Project and wins a Second Prize for Connection, a short film about Chongqing in Southwest China. (Photo from Southwest University)

“Oh My Gosh! it’s so magical!”

After doing research, Pashkova chose Chongqing to be her shooting destination in the international project. That was her first time to the city. At the first sight of the Yangtze River Cableway in the air, she, surprised and excited, exclaimed, “Oh My Gosh! it’s so magical!”  To find a relevant engineer for an interview was her first idea, which was suggested to be a photographer or architect by her producer Fang Muqi.

Alisa Pashkova in Chongqing, China (Photo from Southwest University)

“How people can meet with each other? Because the city is so huge, locals go from one part to another,” the young director from Russia shared  behind the scene and added, “Connection is good enough to present and that’s how I came up with the idea.”

“Connection” was not designed to show transport facilities there but also how the city has developed. So in this film, the two generations of photographers tell the stories of the development of Chongqing.

Moreover, her favorite Chinese dish is hotpot, typical spicy food of Chongqing. “When I came back to Russia, I found a hotpot restaurant in my country and asked my friends to share the delicious food.”

“Looking China represents a good platform for me to know China.”

As a representative of previous participants, Pashkova attended the opening ceremony for the 2019 Looking China Youth Film Project and addressed on the occasion. 

Before the event, she talked a lot about her producer Fang. “We have different cultures, but it was not a problem for us to have such kind of connection. She trusted and supported me. She’s really nice. ”

Alisa Pashkova (L) and Fang Muqi, producer of Connection, a short film about Chongqing. (Photo from Southwest University)

In addition, “Looking China represents a good platform for me to know China,” the participant and second prize winner of 2018 Looking China said and added, “I have introduced it to my classmates and friends, everybody I met.”

“I’m looking forward to co-producing films with directors in China.”

Pashkova has already graduated from her university and now has a Chinese boss.

When asked if there is any plan for film co-production, Pashkova answered that “I don’t have a feasible plan for it, but I’m looking forward to co-producing film with directors in China.”

Apart from that, as China and Russia increase their people-to-people and cultural exchanges, she mentions other exchange programs between Saint-Petersburg State University of Film and Television and Chinese higher institutions.

About Looking China

Looking China is a cultural experience program sponsored by Huilin Foundation and hosted by AICCC that has been successfully run for five rounds and is receiving increasingly extensive influence both in China and abroad. 

The program aims to showcase the contrasting simplicity and glamour, the antiquity and fashion of China through the unique perspectives of young foreign filmmakers, each of whom would make a 10-minute short film of Chinese culture with the one-on-one help from a Chinese volunteer.  This is as a way to enhance the international influence and attractiveness of Chinese culture and to strengthen the cross-cultural communication, exchange, and cooperation among the younger generations in China and abroad.

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