Kan-Kan Media is bringing its second edition of independent film festival A Long Week of Short Films to Shanghai this week, promising an array of insightful viewing from global, Chinese and locally based directors at a variety of venues around the city over the space of ten days. The festival is the result of a collaboration between not-for-profit independent film group Kan-Kan Media and Chinese art and film institutions such as the Shanghai Film Art Academy.
The group has just launched a Long Week of Short Films festival website - lwsf.kankanmedia.org - where you can register for events and find the latest information. During the week-long festival, over 200 short films from more than 60 different countries will be shown, with the focus for 2016 on the discovery and promotion of emerging talents, which means there are lots of new names to look forward to.
Full details are still being finalised, but some not-to-miss events announced so far include:
Encounters of New Film Narratives; a forum to discuss the possibility of fusion between documentaries, animation and video games
Saturday 7 May, 3-5pm, Minsheng Art Museum
Film Screening: TINKUY; Introductions and viewing of works from Indigenous filmmakers from Ecuador
Saturday 7 May, 7-9.45pm, Minsheng Art Museum
Shaping Ideas; a workshop on pixilation and using digital images, including creating a short pixilation film
Sunday 8 May, 1-2.30pm, Minsheng Art Museum
'East Neighbours Film Festival'; screenings and stories from Eastern Europe
Monday 9 May 6.30-8.30pm at Cambio Coffee
China Film Archives; showcasing Chinese talent through a series of short film screenings
Friday 13 May, 5-10pm, Minsheng Art Museum
Plus there's Dong Kan Dong - a week long-animation 'Animation Chamber' with practical workshops, forums and talks at the Minsheng Art Museum - and a Polish Film Poster Exhibition - an exhibition and lecture on film posters running between 6-15 May at uber-cool M50 art space Undef/ne.
In addition, look out for lectures, shadow puppet filmmaking workshops, networking events, and plenty of film screenings - both from within China and international films - that are still to be confirmed. Although the schedule is still being worked out, a full list of films that are set to be screened is already on their site. Be aware that although most events are free, some workshops charge an additional fee of 50RMB for materials, and that the opening ceremony drinks are invite only.
Films will be shown in various venues across the city, including the Minsheng Art Museum, K11 Art Mall, Fun Works, and at part of the ever-expanding naked Hub network. The series of events will also feature an awards ceremony, honouring winners from categories including Best Short Film, Best Director, Audience Award and Outstanding Story Award.
The festival comes a month before the official Shanghai International Film Festival, which will this year be attended by UK theatre and film grandee Sir Ian McKellen.