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From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The Cultural Counsellor, China Cultural Centre in Nigeria, Yang Jianxing, has identified cinema as a powerful platform strengthening the bilateral ties between China and Nigeria.
This was even as Yang said film and artistic collaboration has become a growing bridge of diplomacy between China and Nigeria.
Yang, while speaking at a masterclass and special screening of the famous documentary ‘Rooting’ at the Zuma International Film Festival in Abuja, said the events were not just cinematic feast, but a dialogue between civilizations and a testament to friendship
At the event which was organised by the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Nigeria, Yang stated that the documentary which took over four years to put together in the Yunnan Province of China, was a condensed visual chronicle of China’s poverty alleviation efforts.
He also said the film was about a rural villager who escaped poverty with the aid of targeted government policies, which he stated, has garnered the villager multiple awards at international film festivals.
Yang added that the idea behind the film mirrored the hope of many Nigerians.
“The film’s theme resonates deeply with the Nigerian people’s aspirations for national development and a better life, and we believe the authentic footage and heartfelt language will strongly resonate with audiences,” Yang said.
Yang further said in terms of cultural dynamism between both countries, China and Nigeria were world-renowned film-producing countries.
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He stated that Nollywood’s output of 2,500 films annually, made it the world’s second-largest film industry.
Yang described the Zuma Film Festival as “an important window for exchange and mutual learning between different civilizations.”
He underscored the cultural weight of documentary filmmaking, despite limited commercial returns.
“We should pay our highest respects to Director Chai Hongfang, Director of Editing Zhou Xinxia and their colleagues for their dedication and contributions to social progress,” he further said.
The Cultural Counsellor further thanked the organisers and notable Nigerian film figures involved in the event.
“On behalf of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria and the China Cultural Center in Nigeria, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Zuma International Film Festival Organizing Committee for their meticulous preparations and warm invitation,” Yang also said.
