Small and significant

Another highlight of the festival is the "made in Shanxi" section, covering films specifically shot or set in the province. Among such films shown this year was Belated Confession by local director Li Bin, about a military veteran's devotion to help villagers fight against poverty.

"Such productions can enhance local connections with the rest of the world. We hope that the festival will become an engine to drive the film and culture industries in Shanxi forward," says Jia, who now splits his time between the province and Beijing.

In addition, Jia announced that the third BRICS coproduction, The Neighbors, will be generally released in the first half of next year, and will be mainly funded by a Shanxi company.

Jia was the director of the first such coproduction and has now passed the torch to Han Yan, a 36-year-old director known for Go Away Mr Tumor, which was China's entry in the best foreign language category at the 88th Academy Awards.

Centering on the titular theme to examine the relations between people and space, the new anthology will, once again, see directors from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa team up to respectively helm one of the short stories that make up the film.

"We are planning to produce the fourth BRICS coproduction next year, but it will be no longer an anthology. Instead, it will be one story told by five directors," says Jia.