Global short films highlight Ningbo festival

Interview with David White, Oscar winner for Best Sound Editing. [Video/Lin Xiaoye]

From Sept 18 to 21, the 2025 30°N Sci-Fi Film Festival brought filmmakers, industry professionals and audiences together in Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province, for four days of screenings, discussions and masterclasses celebrating international short films.

Building on last year's success, the festival featured nearly 30 events, including the opening ceremony, meet-and-greets, creator exchange sessions, themed salons, masterclasses and the honors gala.

The main venue in Ningbo's city center hosted eight creator exchange sessions, where more than 30 domestic and international short films were showcased.

The action included four global premieres, one Asian premiere and seven Chinese premieres — giving audiences the opportunity to engage directly with filmmakers.

Three themed salons enriched the program: The Return of the Light and Shadow Salon explored the theme of home and featured past award-winning directors sharing their journeys from short to feature films; the Shortfilm Industry Salon addressed film funding and industry trends with experts; while the Creative Salon allowed emerging directors and writers to discuss creative methods and industry challenges.

Renowned directors Xie Fei and Stanley Kwan led masterclasses, sharing insights from their acclaimed works and engaging young filmmakers in in-depth discussions.

The festival concluded with the Honors Night on Sept 21, presenting the Golden Conch awards and a curated exhibition of Kwan's classic films — including his first post-screening discussion in the Chinese mainland.