2025

Program Proposals for 2025

As 2025 marks the 130th anniversary of world cinema and the 120th anniversary of Chinese cinema, we at the CFA see this as a meaningful opportunity to explore potential collaborations—particularly in programming and inter-archival initiatives—with fellow archives in the FIAF community. We’re pleased to share a selection of our curatorial proposals here, available for screenings and archival loans.

A Tribute to 120 Years of Chinese Cinema

To mark the 120th anniversary of Chinese cinema, this specially curated program showcases landmark films that have shaped its history—through storytelling, visual style, and genre innovation. Most of the selections have been newly restored in 4K. We invite you to join us in celebrating and exploring the remarkable journey of Chinese cinema.

Chinese Title	English Title	Year of Release	Restoration	Curatorial Note
劳工之爱情	Laborer's Love	1922	New 4K Version with recorded score	As the earliest surviving Chinese feature film, it stands as a treasured gem of the China Film Archive.
盘丝洞	Spiders	1927	New 4K Version with recorded score	This is the earliest surviving film adaptation of Journey to the West, a classic Chinese novel. Once thought to be lost, the film was rediscovered in Norway in 2014.
神女	The Goddess	1934	New 4K Version with recorded score	A pinnacle of Chinese silent cinema, the film has been newly restored in 4K to mark the 90th anniversary of actress Ruan Lingyu’s passing. It was selected for the Classics section of the Berlin International Film Festival.
铁扇公主	Princess Iron Fan	1941	New 4K Version	As the first animated feature film from China and Asia, this work was inspired by Journey to the West and influenced by Disney animation. It went on to leave a lasting impact on generations to come.
小城之春	Spring in a Small Town	1948	Coming soon in 4K	A masterpiece of psychological realism and poetic cinema.
哀乐中年	Sorrows and Joys of a Middle-Aged Man	1949	New 4K Version	Set in urban Shanghai, this groundbreaking love story captures director Sang Hu’s modern outlook on education, marriage, and life.
五朵金花	Five Golden Flowers	1959	New 4K Version	A 1950s musical comedy that tells the love story of young people from the Bai ethnic group in Yunnan.
一个和八个	One and Eight	1983	Coming soon in 4K	A seminal work of China’s Fifth Generation directors, this war film is notable for its critical perspective.
错位	Dislocation	1986	2K Version	A Chinese science fiction story from the 1980s reflecting on AI.
找乐	For Fun	1993	New 4K Version	One of the 'Beijing Trilogy' by Fifth Generation female director Ning Ying, mixing documentary and fiction to show 1990s Beijing street life.

In Honor of Shi Hui’s 110th Birthday

Shi Hui (1915-1957) was a talented and versatile artist in early Chinese cinema and theater, known for his work in the 1940s and 1950s. In 2025, we celebrate the 110th anniversary of his birth with advance bookings for six of his most important films, including the recently discovered and restored Die for Loving (返魂香), his rare screen debut.

Chinese Title	English Title	Year of Release	Restoration
返魂香	Die for Loving	1941	2K Version
世界儿女	Children of the World	1941	2K Version
太太万岁	Long Live the Mistress!	1947	Coming soon in 4K
夜店	Night Inn	1947	2K Version
哀乐中年	Sorrows and Joys of a Middle-Aged Man	1949	Coming soon in 4K
我这一辈子	My This Lifetime	1950	2K Version