2013 Beijing International Screenwriting Competition To Announce Feature Film Grand Prize Winner On October 19th

NEW YORK, Oct. 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- On behalf of the Cultural Assets Office of the Beijing Municipal Government, Party Secretary Huiguang Zhang announced today that the Feature Film Grand Prize Winner of the 2013 Beijing International Screenwriting Competition will be named on October 19^th in Los Angeles, CA, during "China's Entertainment Industry: The Next Chapter" event. Hosted by Director of the Cultural Asset Office Maofei Zhou, Chairman Kevin Niu, and award-winning film producer Tiffany Pham, the event will feature an awards ceremony, reception and a panel discussion highlighting major opportunities in China's cultural industry and trends for the future. Confirmed panelists include Zhou, along with Emmy Award-winning producer of Transformers: Age of Extinction Sid Ganis, former Legendary East production executive Michael Andreen, and two-time Tony Award® winning producer Darren Bagert.

"We are extremely pleased with the results of the 2013 Beijing International Screenwriting Competition and are excited to unveil our Grand Prize winner," said Mr. Niu. "As one of the first direct routes for US filmmakers to access the Chinese market, the Competition has enabled us to further bridge the gap between the US and China communities and strengthen our cultural ties. This event will help solidify that connection."

The 2013 Beijing International Screenwriting Competition, which launched on March 4, 2013, is a joint initiative funded by the Cultural Assets Office of the Beijing Municipal Government aimed at fostering artistic collaboration between China and the US. Open to US-based contestants of all nationalities, the "Tale of Beijing" themed competition asked writers to submit both short film screenplays and feature film proposals centered on Beijing as a location, conveying the romance, mystery, and cultural richness of this great world capital. In May, five Feature Film winners and ten Short Film winners were announced. In addition to international recognition and cash prizes, the fifteen winners received all-expense-paid-trips to Beijing in June. Seven of the Short Film winners also had their films financed for production in Beijing. And on October 19^th, one Grand Prize winner will be chosen from the five Feature Film finalists, and will receive an additional prize of $15,000.

"The 2013 Beijing International Screenwriting Competition [is…] kickstarting a new era of cross-cultural collaboration and supporting a close and sustained creative dialogue between China and the US," said three-time Academy Award-winning director James Cameron. "The competition is a great way of providing an entry point to China for US film professionals and students. Even more important, it creates a means and mechanism for the kind of creative exchange between China and the US that we want to encourage and on which we want to build."

Honorary Competition Presidents include Vice-Mayor of Beijing Wei Lu and two-time Academy Award-winning director Mark Harris. Grand Judges for the Competition include Harris along with Tracey Trench, producer of The Pink Panther and Ever After and consultant for Oriental DreamWorks, and Heping Zhang, Chairman of the People's Art Theatre of Beijing. Award-winning film producer Tiffany Pham serves as Head of Marketing.

The 2013 Beijing International Screenwriting Competition is sponsored by the Beijing International Creative Industry Corporation. Other partners include LeTV and Harvardwood. "China's Entertainment Industry: The Next Chapter" is being presented by the 2013 Beijing International Screenwriting Competition and Harvardwood. For more information about the 2013 Beijing International Screenwriting Competition, please visit http://writebeijing.org/. 

About Beijing International Creative Industry Corporation (BCC)
Beijing International Creative Industry Corporation (BCC) is a state-owned cultural industry corporation under the guidance of the Beijing Municipal Committee and Beijing Municipal Government. It is the executive institution of the "Going Abroad, Inviting In" strategy implemented by Beijing Municipal Committee and Beijing Municipal Government, as well as the first international, high-end platform integrating all cultural resources. Its mission is to expand Beijing's, and ultimately China's, cultural influence abroad.

There are three head companies under BCC, touching on international marketing, content production, and international financing and investment respectively. As the first state-owned transnational cultural corporation, BCC is committed to establishing a Beijing-centered worldwide network for cultural promotion and marketing.

About LeTV
LeTV.com, the biggest online video content distributor for TV dramas and movies, is a division of the LeTV Information and Technology Corporation. LeTV is China's leading cross-platform service provider, providing clients with exceptional content and technical service with high quality Internet video programming for computer, mobile phone, and television users.

Established in November 2004, LeTV Information Technology Co., Ltd. was listed in the Second Board Market in China on August 12, 2010. It is the first A-share listed, online video company that focuses on research, development, and application of high-quality cyber video content technology in China.

About Harvardwood
Harvardwood is a volunteer-run, nonprofit organization for Harvard University alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends working or strongly interested in the arts, media, and entertainment. 

The purpose of Harvardwood is to provide information, resources, and professional opportunities for members, while also endeavoring to strengthen ties among the arts, media, entertainment, and education for members as well as the broader community. Harvardwood coordinates programs and events for its members around the world, including on- and off-campus activities for students.  Additionally, Harvardwood has an active online community, including a website, alumni directory, and various email lists through which its more than 5,000 members worldwide can send and receive information regarding career-related issues, social events, classified ads, and other areas of interest.  For additional information, visit the Harvardwood website at http://www.harvardwood.org.

Media Contacts:
Sarah Rothman
42West
(646) 254-6030
[email protected]

Anna Miller
42West
(646) 467-9054
[email protected]

SOURCE 2013 Beijing International Screenwriting Competition