2025 Golden Panda International Cultural Forum kicks off in Chengdu

The 2025 Golden Panda International Cultural Forum was launched on Saturday in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, bringing together professionals, celebrities, and dignitaries from around the world to foster artistic dialogue and intellectual exchange in the film and television industry.

The forum, centered on the theme "Harmony in Diversity, A Future in Unity", aims to contribute wisdom and strength to promoting dialogue and mutual learning among different civilizations, advancing the diversification of human civilizations, and building a community with a shared future for humanity, the organizers said.

Vincent Perez, a Swiss actor and director, said in a speech at the forum that despite differences in language or custom, what unites people around the world is what we have all in common: emotion, the need for truth and beauty, the resistance against injustice, and the power of hope and love.

"From film stock to VR and AI, our tools evolve, but the heart of art never changes: emotion and communication," he said.

Perez noted that Chinese cinema has always drawn strength from the nation's rich cultural heritage. The animated masterpiece Ne Zha 2, created in Sichuan, Perez said, reveals the vitality of Chinese storytelling.

"The film's visual artistry and emotional depth showcase how traditional stories can be reimagined with modern relevance and universal appeal," he added.

Chinese director Chen Kaige urged that film and television works should be used as a bridge to foster dialogue among civilizations, emphasizing that such exchanges are particularly crucial in this era of uncertainty.

He noted that in an age of information explosion, filmmaking should return to its essence by focusing on human destinies, exploring the meaning of life, and questioning the value of existence.

Chantal Rickards, a British television and film executive, shared memories of her time on the first series of the BBC's Masterchef — the world's most popular food competition format — emphasizing that people can understand each other much better through their shared love and understanding of food.

"When we talk about building bridges of civilization through the medium of the screen, it doesn't always require grand narratives to make a point," Rickards said. "Through the prism of food, we can share in a country's history, its geography, its economy, its identity, and its deeper culture and customs."

At the forum, the Golden Panda Global Imaging Cooperation Program was officially launched. It includes a youth cinematic creation initiative, a copyright protection initiative, a global film and television collaboration initiative, and an audiovisual talent incubator.

These projects aim to expand international cultural exchanges and cooperation, promote dialogue and mutual learning among different civilizations, and advance the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, said the organizers.

The forum is part of the ongoing Second Golden Panda Awards, a biennial cultural event hosted by the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Sichuan provincial government in recognition of outstanding achievements in film and television.

A total of 27 awards, covering four major categories of film, TV drama, documentary, and animation, as well as special jury awards, will be presented at the Golden Panda Awards Ceremony on Saturday night.