After a busy week [url=http://www.cheapjustdoitpack.com/men-s-nikelab-air-vapormax-flyknit-oreo-grey-black-cheap.html]Men's NikeLab Air VaporMax Flyknit Oreo Grey Black[/url] , the curtain is about to close on the 6th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) this Saturday. A huge annual activity for the capital - the numbers of banners hanging along major roadways is a testament to its importance - it inevitably is compared to other similar festivals in other cities around the world.

As a journalist who has covered the festival for years, I feel BJIFF has improved, but there are still many areas that need to improve if it wants to stand shoulder to shoulder with the world's top film festivals.

Increasing popularity

This was US filmmaker and artist Stokes Nielson's first BJIFF. Although he did not stick around to the end of the week-long festival, he told the Global Times on Wednesday that he was "extremely impressed by the organization, the information and, above all, the hospitality that was offered to me and my colleagues."

"Having attended many film festivals in the US, what set this experience apart for me was not only the wealth of actionable information that was shared, but also the concrete opportunities for connection and collaboration with my Chinese counterparts in the film industry in Beijing," he added.

Feeling "right at home" in Beijing, Neilson is planning to come back next year, along with more film industry associates from the US.

Ma Sen, a Chinese photo journalist, however, feels that a big gap still exists between BJIFF and other world-class film festivals. In his opinion it is not even as good as the Shanghai International Film Festival.

"You can often see familiar faces at the three films festivals in Europe - Cannes, Venice and Berlin. They have a continuity when it comes to the reporters they invite, which is good. But at BJIFF you seldom see an old friend," Ma told the Global Times, adding that the festival still lacks organization.

"I prefer the Shanghai International Film Festival personally. I think it is the best film festival in China," Ma continued.

"No matter if it's the film watching experience, the ability to attract foreign filmmakers or the way they handle reporters, the BJIFF still has a long way to go."

Yet, Ma admitted that BJIFF is improving and that since it is still young it might be unfair to compare it with festivals that have been around for decades.

"As long as this film festival continues, it will have room for improvement. We need to give it the room it needs to grow up," Ma said.

Improved services

Like Ma, many people may still remember the various complaints reporters had about last year's BJIFF, especially the opening ceremony, which was a mess in how it ended.

Having not attended the opening ceremony last year, I felt very lucky that I managed to escape all the frustration my peers experienced, such as having trouble obtaining drinking water and being blocked from using the toilets.

During my time covering the opening ceremony this year, I had a much more acceptable experience than what others had last year, though I'd be lying if I said it was comfortable.

First of all, we were provided quick meals and bottled water both on way to the site (around 2:30 pm) and when heading back to the city center (8:00 pm), though both trips were so cold I felt a bit ill. A fellow reporter comforted me by saying, "It's better now. We had nothing to eat at all last year."

They also provided fruit, desserts, coffee, tea and lunch at the press center at the Beijing International Hotel. This was very convenient for those of us who had to rush from one activity to another and had to hand in reports as quickly as possible during breaks.

Commercialization

Hosted by the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television and the municipal government of Beijing, BJIFF has had State support from the very beginning. This special characteristic helped keep BJIFF from becoming too "tainted" by commercial concerns during previous years, but this year saw a huge change.

Even though the festival did have certain commercial sponsors previously, they were presented in a low-key way.

However this year, advertised products were front and center. For instance, a Mercedes-Benz was parked beside the stage as part of the background for the opening ceremony red carpet. Meanwhile, at the Sino-Foreign Film Co-production Forum, a long-time keynote forum at the festival, brand-name food and beverages from the event sponsors were placed strategically next to guest speakers' seats. And if you didn't notice that, the host of the forum made sure to begin the event by thanking each of the sponsors by name. This was surprising and strange to me and my fellow reporters, who had a hard time containing their laughter.

While I don't think open arms to commercial brands is necessarily a negative thing, it just wasn't something we were used to considering our experiences at previous festivals. As long as these brands do not ruin the reputation of the festival, I suppose giving in to a bit of commercialism is just a necessary evil.

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