Shining a light on the young filmmakers of tomorrow

From the Lumiere brothers' first screening of Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat Station in a Paris cafe on Jan 25, 1896, to today's ever-evolving cinematic landscape, debut films have remained the beating heart of innovation in cinema.

These first-time directorial efforts, often raw and fearless, embody the passion and ambition of emerging storytellers. Last Saturday evening, this spirit was vividly celebrated at the 32nd College Student Film Festival's Youth Night honors ceremony.

Broadcast live on Beijing Satellite TV, Beijing Time, and Tencent Video, the ceremony was held at the Beijing Comedy Theater and brought together leading figures from the film industry, scholars, and a vibrant community of young film enthusiasts.

Among the night's most anticipated announcements was Most Popular Debut Film of the Year, an accolade voted for by university students across the country.

When the winner was finally revealed, Gone With the Boat emerged as the standout, claiming the coveted title. The film impressed both viewers and critics with its innovative narrative style and compassionate portrayal of family bonds, marking director Chen Xiaoyu as a promising new voice in Chinese cinema.

Gone With the Boat is the deeply emotional story of an elderly woman diagnosed with a brain tumor. As her adult children clash over how best to care for her, they eventually return to their hometown to accompany her through her final days.

The story is rooted in personal experience — Chen said that the character of the elderly woman was inspired by his own grandmother.

"I was raised by my grandmother in Xinqiao village, a water town along the Grand Canal in Jiangnan (the region south of the Yangtze River)," he said. "This film is my way of remembering her and the home that shaped me."

The project was a labor of love, beginning in 2019 and evolving over six years and 32 drafts before achieving its final form.