Pingyao opens 10th edition with dancing robots and honour for Ann Hui
Robots danced first. Veteran Hong Kong director Ann Hui took the spotlight next as the 10th Pingyao Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon International Film Festival opened on Sept. 24, according to Variety.
The opening ceremony was held at the Platform, the festival's open-air theatre inside the ancient city of Pingyao. That walled city in Shanxi province is a UNESCO World Heritage Site dating to the 14th century. The ceremony paired the historic venue with an AI robot dance performance by tech company Unitree.
Hui, whose full name is Ann Hui On-wah, received the festival's Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon East-West Award during the ceremony. The prize was presented by director Tian Zhuangzhuang and Wilfred Wong, chair of the Asian Film Awards Academy. Festival founder Jia Zhangke also spoke at the ceremony.
Hui is doing double duty this year. She was named as a jury president for the 10th edition alongside Italian curator and writer Carlo Chatrian, according to China Daily. That means she helps lead the teams that choose the prize winners. It places one of Hong Kong's most experienced filmmakers at the centre of the judging.
This year's festival was scheduled to run Sept. 24-30, according to Variety. Its Hidden Dragons competition includes three world premieres. That term means first-ever public screenings, the moment a film meets an audience for the first time.
The programme also looks back. A restored version of Hui's 1981 film "The Story of Woo Viet" anchors the East-West lineup, according to Yahoo. Restoration is painstaking repair work that cleans picture and sound for modern cinemas. More recognition is on the way for Hui, who will receive the 2026 Camellia Award at the Busan International Film Festival, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
What makes this opening stand out is the mix on one stage. Dancing robots. A medieval walled city. A batch of brand-new premieres. And a 44-year-old film brought back for modern screens. For fans following from home, this means one name links much of this year's Pingyao story: Hui's, honoured in person and present in the archive programme as well.
