With a quite sketchy schedule, we arrived in Changchun City in China's northeastern Jilin Province for the 14th Changchun Film Festival from September 1 to 8.

No formal itinerary had been arranged for our team over the eight days of the festival which was a rather big challenge for us. This meant that we had to plan everything by ear. Yet it turned out to be as exciting as it was surprising. Personally, it was more than a work trip, providing two of the highlights of my life.

During the jury's press conference ahead of the opening ceremony, I talked to Alec Su, a young filmmaker who made the transition from acting to directing. He is also someone I started watching from a very young age. Citing the festival theme of "Crossing, Connecting, Creating," Su said the transition had led him to see the whole picture when he looked at a film and made him understand the broad and deep beauty of the art of filmmaking.

It got even better. Just a minute before the closing ceremony, I had the moment of my life. I interviewed Jackie Chan, and that's something I'd say not everyone gets the chance to do. Talking about the new generation of Chinese filmmakers, he said he was impressed with how these young people can combine the traditional martial arts with new technology and make the visuals even more thrilling. However, deep down in our hearts, we know we love it when Jackie does his own stunts, either sliding down a skyscraper or fighting atop a moving bus.

Regarding the young generation of filmmakers, I also had a one-on-one with the crew of Only Love Can Do This To Me, a low-budget movie filmed in Australia. Li Jie, a young director herself, mentioned that people like her make up for a lack of experience with passion. As a result, they tend to put all their effort into a film as if it was their last.

We can say that Changchun is the city of Chinese films and the Changchun Film Studio is the cornerstone of the Chinese film industry. Alongside the rise of modern production companies, we still hope Changchun maintains its conscience and sustains a prosperous future.