Film industry veteran Zhang Miao and his company unveiled a promising lineup of projects during the 25th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF), focusing on storiesof China's youth.

Zhang Miao, general manager of Beijing Splendid Culture & Entertainment Co. Ltd., speaks at a press conference held in Shanghai, June 11, 2023. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

All 16 projects revealed at a press conference on June 11 are part of a franchise created by Zhang called "China's Teen Universe." Beijing Splendid Culture & Entertainment Co. Ltd. is developing these projects alongside various talented creators, and exploring diverse, multi-dimensional and innovative methods of expression, with films as the leading medium.

"Young people constitute the primary audience of the film market. Our films depict stories of young people, whether they were teenagers in the past, present or future," Zhang said.

Zhang Miao, involved in making some of China's highest-grossing films, such as "Wolf Warrior 2," "Hi, Mom," "My People, My Homeland," "The Wandering Earth" and "Dying to Survive," founded his own company in December 2020 as a way to challenge himself. Previously, he produced a numerous record-breaking Chinese blockbusters for the entertainment conglomerate Beijing Culture. 

The most anticipated project on the list is the sequel to Sun Haipeng's "I Am What I Am," which was Zhang's first animated production. The film received widespread critical acclaim in 2021 and secured a theatrical release in Japan this May. The movie tells a heartwarming story of three rural underdog teenagers from Guangdong province who attempt to change their fate by learning China's traditional lion dance. In the sequel, these teenagers will continue their adventure in Shanghai.

China's Teen Universe includes a diverse mix of projects spanning various genres, not limited to animation. Other exciting projects include "Dunhuang Warriors," a historical period action film directed by Cao Dun and written by novelist Ma Boyong, who previously worked together on the wildly successful suspense series "The Longest Day in Chang'an"; "Green Wave," a comedy-drama by critically-acclaimed director Xu Lei; and "Space Travel Rush," an Eastern-style sci-fi movie centered around Chinese family relationships.

Speaking of "Space Travel Rush," Zhang Miao said, "The movie will answer the question of whether Chinese people will still go home for the Spring Festival 200 years from now." He added that he hopes to hold the premiere of the movie on the first day of the Lunar New Year 2025 with Chinese astronauts viewing it on the Tiangong Space Station alongside people on Earth. 

In addition to releasing original films, the company has also expanded its presence into other fields, including short-form animation, innovative format content and musical theater. It has also made progress toward multi-dimensional, multi-format comprehensive planning based on the company's original intellectual property. 

Furthermore, at the press conference, Beijing Splendid Culture & Entertainment's parent company Bainationand its subsidiary Eastern Grace Film announced 18 additional film and TV projects. 

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