A series of cultural events highlighting the China-U.S. friendship through film and television were held across the United States on Friday and Saturday, with participants highlighting the role of visual storytelling in strengthening mutual understanding and bilateral ties.
One of the activities was held at the Consulate General of China in Los Angeles on Friday, which featured a series of film screenings and storytelling sessions and was themed "Recording Friendship Through Light and Shadow: Sharing Stories of Friendly Exchanges between China and the United States."
The main event was the global premiere of the Chinese-American co-production "Dear Kuliang," a 50-minute documentary film which follows the descendants of an American family as they retrace the steps of one of their ancestors who lived in the historic town of Kuliang, located in the suburbs of east China's Fuzhou City.
The film shines a spotlight on the hillside resort area which has long been known for the warm bonds formed between foreign expatriates and the local Chinese community, and highlights the importance of ensuring these friendships endure.
"What's really important here is the whole feeling of Kuliang, right? It's the sense that people get when they tell the stories. So you talk to the ancestors and the stories that have been passed down from generation to generation. It's all about the meaningful friendships that they had together. So the friendships that were formed then have lived on through the decades and been passed from one generation to another," said Eric Johnston, a U.S. middle school teacher and researcher on Kuliang culture.
Meanwhile, a special screening and symposium was held in Utah's Salt Lake City on Saturday evening, marking the official North American release of the documentary "Bridge to a Shared Future."
The film charts the journeys of American journalists Edgar Snow and Helen Foster Snow, a couple who resided and reported in China during the 1930s, with Edgar Snow authoring the landmark book 'Red Star Over China' which gave a rare and detailed account of the Chinese revolution which was taking place that decade.
The newly-released documentary is told from the perspective of Adam Foster, Helen's great-nephew, and the creative team responsible for the production shared some behind-the-scenes stories with attendees at the Utah event.
Foster, who is the founder and honorary chairman of Helen Foster Snow Foundation, said that documentary highlights the intergenerational cooperation and friendship between China and the U.S., and showcases how the two countries have built a bridge of communication.
"This documentary is a fantastic opportunity for people to get to know Helen, but also to understand the U.S.-China relationship as it stands today, and all the things that our foundation is doing right now is to promote U.S.-China relations in a healthy way. We know there is a lot going on between Washington and Beijing and there always will be. But it's the people-to-people connection that we think is important and that the average everyday American cares about," he said.
Cultural events highlight China-US exchanges through films
