BRICS countries premiere film for awards ceremony

Where Has the Time Gone, the first film coproduced by the five BRICS countries, won the artistic contribution prize at the 2nd BRICS Film Festival held in Chengdu, Sichuan province, from June 23 to 27.

The film consists of five short stories which each runs for 18 minutes. The Chinese director Jia Zhangke, Russian director Alexey Fedorchenko, Indian director Madhur Bhandarkar, South African director Jahmil X.T. Qubeka, and Brazilian director Walter Moreira Salles, Jr, each directed one of the films in their native language.

The Chinese story, called Revive, is shot in the Ancient City of Pingyao, Shanxi province, and tells the story of a couple's decision to have a second child.

"People everywhere, often wonder where the time has gone," said Jia.

Directors from the different BRICS countries have explored this topic, each with their own unique take, he added.

Jia, also the chief producer for the project, set most of his early movies in his hometown of Shanxi.

"The historic and cultural landscape drew me to make the film here," he said.

The film was released at the festival's premiere on June 23. It will open at cinemas across the Chinese mainland during the BRICS leaders' meeting held in Xiamen, Fujian province, this September.