The China-America Festival of Film and Culture (CAFFC*) is sponsored by The Rose Group, whose mission is to promote better understanding and goodwill between the United States and China through media exchanges. It is our belief that it is time to celebrate our shared humanity as well as our diverse faces, voices, and points of view. CAFFC supports this mission by using the medium of film to provide audiences in both countries with the opportunities for learning and cultural understanding. Through bilateral interactions, filmmakers and audiences alike in both the United States and China will be encouraged to think cross-culturally. They will be provided with a platform for meaningful dialogue and discourse about film and culture to clarify misconceptions, to offer insights, and to build new bridges and networks.

* changed into ChinaFest in 2008

n the summer of 2004, the inaugural film competition was launched with a call for entries for short films in the United States. The top winners, film scholars, and a representative from the American Film Institute (AFI) traveled as part of the American delegation to Beijing, China in April/May 2005 where the winning films were screened at the prestigious Beijing Student Film Festival (BSFF). Since the year 2005 also marked the centenary of cinema in China, Chinese film scholars and students chose five American feature films as the focus for screening and discussion. Our members provided synopsis and participated in question and answer sessions at each screening on May 9, 10, and 11. On May 12, a panel discussion about film and culture took place.

Rose Chen, Irby Brown, and Christian Gaines from the AFI were invited to be at the opening of BSFF on April 16. Dr. Brown and Mr. Gaines were engaged in a series of lectures at various film and cultural institutions in Beijing as well as in Shanghai through the sponsorship of the American Center for Educational Exchange. Personal remarks about the experience can be found in the Reports and Testimonials section.

As a component of the bilateral exchange, we are bringing Chinese films, filmmakers, and scholars to the United States for a comprehensive look at China through films and other cultural events. The China-America Festival of Film and Culture (CAFFC-RIC 2005) will be held in Richmond, Virginia on October 5 to 9, 2005. Please check the Press Releases section for more details.

We have formed working relations with film and media entities, universities, as well as governmental agencies in both the United States and China. They include the AFI, American Center for Educational Exchange (under the American Embassy in Beijing), Beijing Normal University, Beijing Student Film Festival, Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., Tsinghua University School of Journalism and Communication, University of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Film Office, and Virginia Foundation for the Humanities.