Almost all teachers at the School of Arts and Communication have participated in the College Student Film Festival, Xiao says, adding that he himself has been fully engaged in the organization of the event since 2020, when he was appointed as its deputy director.

Xiao has also directed the ceremonies for the Golden Rooster Awards, the Hundred Flowers Awards, and the China Huabiao Film Awards. He thinks each film festival carries its own distinctive understanding and interpretation of cinema. However, the College Student Film Festival is refreshingly simple by comparison.

"Its essence lies in the young students themselves, setting it apart from other festivals. It represents the youthful perspective on film, their personal experiences and the emotions evoked by cinema, as well as their unique evaluations and aspirations for the medium," Xiao says.

The original student film section of the festival was established in 2000. For this year's selection, the festival received over 2,500 submissions from nearly 400 domestic and international universities and organizations.

After meticulous evaluation by nearly 100 college student judges, a total of 120 works were chosen for the final round, including 50 narrative films, 30 documentaries and 20 short films.

"College students are far more than passive moviegoers, but rather, active participants in the dynamic realm of the media era. Their short videos and films have the potential to impact the future trajectory of Chinese cinema. I wholeheartedly believe in the influential power of the youth in shaping the industry," says Xiao.