Two international forums on audiovisual exchanges and cultural heritage protection were held in Beijing on April 15 during the 9th Beijing International Film Festival to strengthen the exchanges between Chinese and foreign film and television professionals.

Xu Baofeng (center), head of the CCTSS and a professor at the BLCU hosts the second International Forum on the Sino-Foreign Audiovisual Exchange and Communication and the Forum on Technology and Cultural Heritage Protection in Beijing on April 15. [Photo by Li Huiru / China.org.cn]

Two international forums on audiovisual exchanges and cultural heritage protection were held in Beijing on April 15 during the 9th Beijing International Film Festival.

The second International Forum on Sino-Foreign Audiovisual Exchange and Communication and the Forum on Technology and Cultural Heritage Protection were co-hosted by the Chinese Culture Translation and Studies Support Network (CCTSS) of the Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU) and the China Science and Culture Communication Industry Alliance (CSCCIA). The forums were attended by more than 40 guests from the fields of film and television production and distribution, science and technology, translation and cultural communication.

According to Xu Baofeng, head of the CCTSS and a professor at the BLCU, the goals of the two forums were to promote dialogue between Chinese and foreign film and television industries, so as to explore the rules of communication and better address the needs of both parties.

Compared to the first forum held three years ago, Xu said that there were two highlights of the forums this year.

"The first innovative point is that we have fused audiovisual culture with technology and we have also fused audiovisual translation with audiovisual production. I hope the Chinese and foreign film and television industries will be inspired by the fusion and find new ways for Chinese film and television to ‘go global'," said Xu while hosting the two forums.

Baldan Enkhmandakh, head of the Leading Group of Mongolian National Public Radio and Television (MNB) revisited the changes experienced by Mongolia during the three years after the First International Forum on Sino-Foreign Audiovisual Exchange was held.

"During the past three years, many Mongolian editions of famous Chinese works were published. The MNB has also participated in the translation and broadcasting of more than 20 Chinese film and television dramas. The Mongolian audience now has a better understanding of Chinese arts, traditional culture and social life."

He also expressed hope that the cooperation between the two countries will get a boost by docking Mongolia's national projects with the Belt and Road Initiative.

Deanna Gao, founder and chairwoman of the China Film Festival in Paris, stressed the importance of good translation of scripts. She said that the Chinese have done a great job in introducing foreign films through good translations of their scripts. However, little progress has been made in translating Chinese film scripts to other languages.

"The script should be translated by native speakers of the target country. Different roles, man or woman, young or old, have their distinctive way of speaking. Translating scripts is an art. The process of translation is re-creation," Gao said.

Yang Weiguang, secretary of the Beijing Technology Market Association pointed out that three widely held public perceptions are - First, technology promotes the cultural industry by providing a new carrier and communication channel. Second, with the fusion of technology and audiovisual culture, the high-tech wave led by digital technology and information technology is transforming and upgrading the traditional cultural industry, thereby spawning a large number of new cultural forms. Third, is that the current digital creative industry has been identified as one of the five key industries of China's economic transformation.

He suggested that in order to push forward the fusion of audiovisual culture and technology, people have to change their way of thinking.

"We need to look at ancient things with a modern perspective. While sticking to the traditional elements, we must have a contemporary vision and give a modern interpretation," Yang said.

Two seminars, namely the Sino-Foreign Audiovisual Translation and Dubbing Cooperation Seminar, as well as the Sino-Foreign Technology and Cultural Heritage Protection Seminar, were held during the two forums.

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