Q&A with the Founder
Why create this film festival?
This initiative arises in direct response to the current predicament of Chinese independent cinema. Fewer filmmakers are pursuing independent creation, and there exist virtually no legitimate channels for public exhibition. Over the past decade, I myself have made several films—yet outside of international festival screenings, they have garnered little to no attention within China.
What we need urgently is a space where independent films can truly be seen. This is not only a gesture of support toward creators, but also an act of respect for audiences.
Given the near-impossibility of hosting such a festival inside China today, I conceived of an offshore model: a festival that, though distant in geography, carries forward the spirit of the independent film festivals we once nurtured in China.
How would you describe the festival’s positioning?
Though held overseas, the point of departure for this festival is unmistakably Chinese. I have often asked myself: If this festival were to take place in Beijing, Guangzhou, or a rural village in China, how would I curate it?
The aim is not to cater to New York or Parisian perspectives, but to speak to an imagined Chinese cultural present—a space that is no longer practically attainable, but still worth holding on to.
This is a position of “offshore without estrangement”: we may not reside in the homeland, but we are not estranged from it. The festival is both a reflection on contemporary Chinese realities and an enduring dialogue with its audience.
Why was New York chosen as the festival’s first home?
New York is far from ideal. Its high costs, oversaturated cultural calendar, and fragmented attention make it a complex environment. Yet it also offers distinct advantages: a rich variety of venues, a diverse and curious audience, and robust channels for international exchange.
On a personal note, I have lived much of the past decade in NYC vicinity. In many ways, it feels like a second home. So this is both a pragmatic choice and an extension of personal experiences.
What kinds of films will the festival feature? What scale are you envisioning?
For the inaugural edition, we plan to screen 15 to 20 films. The program will include recent independent works, curated thematic sections, and a retrospective unit.
Rather than chasing volume, we are prioritizing the artistic integrity of each film and the depth of post-screening engagement. None of the films will be subject to censorship—not even self-censorship. We hope to present work that is authentic, intricate, and unadorned—a window into the unfiltered creative condition.
Will the festival include international films, or is it exclusively focused on Chinese cinema?
Yes, we are open to screening films from other countries or regions—as long as they engage meaningfully with our perspectives or thematic concerns.
This is not a festival that exists only to screen Chinese films. Rather, it is a festival that emerges from a Chinese cultural context. Its core question is not merely “how to portray China,” but rather, how to reckon with Chinese reality.
How do you view the current state of Chinese independent cinema and its creators?
We are living through a difficult chapter. But for independent filmmakers, hardship is hardly anything new. I still believe that, among those who persist in their pursuit of expression, significant work will continue to emerge.
Crisis does not imply emptiness—it simply increases our need to sustain and support one another.
What is your hope for this festival?
My hope is that it will endure. That it won’t merely be a space for passive screening, but one of lively discourse, intellectual friction, and emotional resonance.
Ultimately, the goal is clear: to allow the works that deserve visibility to be seen, and the voices that deserve space to be heard.
Even as this festival grows in an offshore environment, it remains deeply rooted in the cultural of China. And perhaps one day, in some organic way, it will find its way back home—from offshore to homecoming.
创办人问答：⼀个离岸的中国独⽴电影节
Q：为什么要创办这个电影节？
A：这与当下中国独⽴电影的处境密切相关。现在做独⽴创作的⼈越来越少，作品⼏乎没有正常的传播渠道。过去⼗年我⾃⼰也拍过⼏部影⽚，除了在国际电影节放映外，在国内⼏乎没有⼈问起。
我们需要⼀个能“被看到”的空间。这不仅是对创作者的⿎励，也是对观众的尊重。然⽽，当前在中国境内举办独⽴电影节的可能性⼏乎为零，于是我想到了“离岸”的
⽅式：在海外办⼀个虽然地理上在外，却能延续我们当年中国独立电影节精神的电影节。
Q：这个电影节会有什么样的定位？
A：虽然在海外举办，但我设想这个电影节的出发点是“中国的”。我的构想是：如果这个电影节能在北京、⼴州、或者⼀个农村举办，我会怎么做？我不是从纽约或巴黎观众的视⻆出发的，⽽是⾯向⼀个想象中的中国现场——⼀个现在⽆法实现、但值得坚持的现场。
这是⼀种“离岸⽽不出离”的姿态：不在本⼟，但不离本⼟。它是对中国现实的回
应，也是与中国观众的持续对话。
Q：为什么选择纽约？
A：纽约并不完美。成本⾼、活动多、注意⼒分散。但它也有优势：场地选择多元、观众相对丰富、国际交流便利。我过去这些年⼤部分时间也在纽约⽣活，对我来说，这⾥也像⼀个“故乡”。所以它既是⼀个现实的选择，也是⼀种个⼈情感的延伸。
Q：会放映哪些影⽚？规模如何？
A：第⼀届电影节计划放映15到20部影⽚，包括近期的独⽴新作、回顾单元和专题策展。我不追求放映数量，⽽更重视影⽚本⾝的品质和放映之后的交流。
这些影⽚不经过任何审查，包括⾃我审查。我希望这个平台能呈现真正的、复杂
的、未经修饰的创作状态。
Q：除了中国独⽴电影，还会放映其他国家或地区的作品吗？
A：会的。只要这些作品能与我们的⽴场、议题发⽣有机联系，我们也会考虑。我们不是⼀个“只放中国电影”的电影节，但这是⼀个以中国语境为出发点的电影节。
它的核⼼问题不是“讲中国”，⽽是“如何⾯对中国现实”。
Q：你如何看当下的中国独⽴电影与创作者？
A：这是⼀个艰难时期，但对独⽴创作者来说，困难从来都不是新的。我相信在坚持表达的⼈当中，依然会有好的作品出现。
Q：你对这个电影节的期望是什么？
A：我希望它能持续办下去，也希望它不是⼀个封闭的放映场，⽽是⼀个真正有讨论、有碰撞、有温度的空间。让那些该被看⻅的作品被看到。 我希望電影節能⻑期堅持下去，即便現在它在“離岸”環境中⽣⻑，但它從來不曾離開過中國⽂化的根系。也許有⼀天，它會以某種⽅式真正⾃然地回到中国的⼟地上。
