Restored classic film "Yellow Earth" premieres in Beijing

A 4K restoration of the classic film "Yellow Earth" premiered this week in Beijing. The film marks China's first success in applying the technology of 4K restoration to classic films.

A restored version of the classic film "Yellow Earth" premiers in Beijing on Wednesday, April 11, 2018. [Photo: China Plus]

Sun Xianghui is the head of the China Film Archive, which is behind the 4K restorations of two classic Chinese films.

"We have sought advice from a number of experts who study film history. They pointed out that our early adjustments to the colors made the Yellow Earth look unnecessarily bright. They also argued that Yellow Earth lost its sense of warmness after our adjustment. So we had to adjust it again. The process was quite long - it took around one year."

The film "Yellow Earth" was the directorial debut for renowned Chinese filmmaker Chen Kaige. The film, which was released in 1984, has helped bring international attention to the "Fifth Generation" of Chinese filmmakers.

Another film that has recently been restored is "The Horse Thief", which was directed by Tian Zhuangzhuang in 1986. Both will be unveiled to the general public at the upcoming 8th Beijing International Film Festival, which will open on Sunday.

Sun Xianghui from the Film Archive says that China has been leading the world in terms of both film restoration technology and the number of films that have been restored.