Since 2008, Ningbo organized the Farmers' Film Festival, the first of the kind in China. With the efforts made in the past four years, the yearly farmers' film festival has now become a regular great event for the farmers and a cultural brand of Ningbo in sustainable development. As a result of the careful planning and preparations, the 5th China (Ningbo) Farmers' Film Festival will open on September 14. The following are some details of the Farmers' Film Festival.

I. Major events of the 5th China (Ningbo) Farmers' Film Festival

Following the principles of "being close to realities, close to the countryside and close to farmers" and themed on "a big festival for farmers", the 5th China (Ningbo) Farmers' Film Festival will have such activities as the premiere, meetings of cast and crew, show of the participating movies, election of best liked actors and actresses by famers, and performance of film songs. To be specific:

1, Opening Ceremony of the 5th China (Ningbo) Farmers' Film Festival and the Premiere of Loyalty and Betrayal

The Opening Ceremony of the 5th China (Ningbo) Farmers' Film Festival and the Premiere of Loyalty and Betrayal will be opened on the Pan Tianshou Square of Ninghai at 19:00 on the evening of September 14, 2012. The opening ceremony will have such activities as a performance for farmers, a show up of the cast and crew of Loyalty and Betrayal and the show of the film. At the ceremony, there will be a ceremony for Ningbo enterprises to donate film shows to farmers in the rural areas in the west regions.

2, Election of best liked actors and actresses by famers

The election was started on June 1 in the country. Out of the Chinese films well liked by farmers, the organizing committee of the festival selected 30 candidates for the election of 1 film best liked by farmers, 1 best liked actor and 1 actress by famers. The results will be announced on September 15.

3, Shows of films for the festival

In order to encourage the production of more and better films liked by the people in rural areas, the organizing committee has arranged four series of shows of films: the show of good Chinese films, the show of films of the countryside life, and the show of classic films and popular science films. The shows aim to enrich the cultural lives of the farmers and the migrant workers and have the films close to the lives of the countryside enjoyed by the people living in the countryside.

4, The performance of film songs entitled "In the Golden Fields"

AT 19:00 on September 15, the Central Broadcast Artistic Troupe will present a performance in Ningbo Grand Theatre. Well known actors and actresses like Wang Jieshi, Wu Haiyan and Zhaoqing will entertain the audience with classic film songs like "Walking on the Country Road", "Song of the Straw Hat" and "Hai Xia". In addition, at the invitation of the organizing committee, the first generation actors of the New China like Zhong Xinghuo and Zhu Xijuan will be present on the evening.

5, Meeting on production of films on countryside life

The production of films on the countryside life is an indispensible part for the prosperity of films in this new era. On the morning of September 15, an all China meeting on the production of films on the countryside life will be held in Shangrila Hotel and to the meeting will come representatives of the 70 theatre chains of digital films for the countryside and representatives of about 20 film copyright holders on such topics as the currant situation of the production of films on the countryside, the solution to the existing problems, and the strategies for the future development.

During the film festival, there will be such activities as central media visiting the grass-roots units, the working meeting of the publication and show of countryside films and the annual meeting of the federation of the journal of films and so on.

II. Distinctive features of the 5th China (Ningbo) Farmers' Film Festival

1, Being non-profitable. The film festival opens at the eve of the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. In recent years, before other cities of China, Ningbo has already reached the goal of "10,000 films for the countryside" and "1 free film every month for a village". However this goal has not yet been reached in the old revolutionary base areas and the countryside in the west regions. For the benefit of more countryside people, the organizer of the festival and the film publication company of China Film Group will jointly initiate a program for Ningbo enterprises and individuals to donate film shows to the farmers in the old revolutionary base areas and west regions. This will be a very good way for the "countryside film show program".

2, Being interactive. For this great event for the farmers, the organizing committee has arranged many interactive elements: the on-the-spot dialogue of audiences and the crew of Loyalty and Betrayal, and the election of best liked films and actors and actresses by famers. With these activities, the organizer hopes that participation and interactivity by the audience will make the festival an event in which the farmers play the lead.

3, Being close to countryside audience. In the history of films in the past 100 years, the countryside films used to be the main stream of films of the New China. However, the urbanization and marketization led to the slump of countryside films in the 1990s. In recent years, in the new situation of constructing the new countryside, countryside film production and the marketing have been on a better track. During the film festival, over 40 central film and video media will visit the mountain areas, islands and the old revolutionary base areas in Ningbo and hold a meeting on the production of countryside films. With the practice of being close to the farmers, to the times and to the realities, we hope to explore the ways for the opportunities and challenges and to boost the undertaking of films in the countryside.