Roll camera! Young film makers strut their stuff

The final of the third cross-Strait youth mini-film competition started in Shanghai on Saturday with a camp for young film talent from Taiwan and the mainland to interact and learn from industry masters.

The event organized by the Shanghai Cross-Strait Communication Promotion Association, among others, focusing on the theme of “We Love,” attracted a total of 1,369 mini-films.

They tell stories from Shanghai or Taipei. It kicked off in January and 44 short films have made it to the final, including “Typhoon,” “WHEN I AM SEVEN,” “The Journey of Bus 11” and “Grandpa and I.”

The winners will be announced on June 21 at an awards ceremony at the World Expo Museum on Mengzi Road in Huangpu District.

Before the ceremony, finalists are attending the week-long youth film camp, where they will attend classes delivered by professional mentors, visit local film facilities and produce videos in the theme of “Love Shanghai” in 48 hours.

They will also take part in sideline events at the Shanghai International Film Festival, such as the chairman's forum of the Golden Goblet Award, a major film award.

They will also have opportunities to communicate closely with Turkish director Nuri bigg Ceylon, who won the Palme d'Or, the highest prize at the Cannes Film Festival, in 2014 and is the jury president for the main competition of this year's Golden Goblet Awards, and Zhang Jianya, a Chinese director and former president of the Shanghai Film Association.