The 10th Shanghai Charity Short Film Festival kicked off on Sept 7, marking the start of a month-long celebration as part of Shanghai Charity Week.

This year's festival in Shanghai – scheduled to run to Oct 3 – revolves around the theme of "helping others to warm oneself". It invited filmmakers and video creators to submit works that embodied the spirit of altruism and community support.

Embracing inclusivity, the festival welcomes submissions from the public, aiming to foster broader engagement and participation in charitable endeavors.

What's more, the organizing committee plans to collaborate with influential organizations, companies and educational institutions to offer insights and perspectives to the public – enriching the festival experience.

Zhang Hua, the vice chairman of the Shanghai Charity Foundation, said films and videos were essential tools in uniting various stakeholders – including government departments and bodies, social organizations and businesses – to advance charitable initiatives within society.

He added that these creative mediums served as bridges that connected diverse entities – driving collective efforts towards boosting philanthropic endeavors and social welfare.

In its milestone 10th edition, the Shanghai Charity Short Film Festival is delving into a range of pressing social issues – including digitization, urban charity culture, pension funding, emergency responses, women's empowerment and other relevant topics – that are widely said to resonate with contemporary societal challenges.

Renowned Chinese director Zhang Jianya leads the festival's nomination committee, overseeing the selection process of identifying compelling and impactful submissions.

During the launch ceremony, the committee underscored the importance of using advanced tech drivers, advocating the judicious use of AI techniques to navigate the evolving landscape of filmmaking and storytelling – thereby embracing the possibilities for the future.

Source: Shanghai Observer