SIFF helps U.S. find out good Chinese films and show it in New York

Filmmakers have gathered in Shanghai for the ongoing Shanghai International Film Festival. Samuel Jamier, the executive director of the New York Asian Film Festival, is among them. He's hoping to spot good films, good Chinese films especially, that could be screened in New York.

The venue is decorated ahead of the opening of the Shanghai International Film Festival, which will run until June 24, 2019. [Photo provided to China Plus]

"There are considerable difficulties, right now, technical difficulties, in the way these films are exhibited in the United States. It's not just specifically Chinese films, but in general, the exhibition of all foreign films in the United States," said Jamier. However, he believes "the picture is going to change slowly, simply because of China's position in the world, and there's lots of interest in Chinese culture in general. I think it's inevitable that things have to change anyway."

The New York Asian Film Festival is a partner for the Shanghai festival. Jamier hopes the partnership can help Americans learn more about China through the Chinese films the New York festival showcases in the United States.

"As an American, what I'm looking forward to be the stories of real characters; you get a sense of life, the complexity of life in China; how people live despite the fact that we live in very different societies, and also about relationships and friendships."

Jamier said that he doesn't focus on film in a particular genre, but instead looks for good story-telling. "What's really interesting is to see are big universal themes and how they are dealt with by Chinese filmmakers in the context of Chinese society," he said.