Luminous International Youth Film Festival

Hi! My name is Leran Dai. I am a high school student in Shanghai Pinghe School and also a big film fan. I’m fascinated with how stories are told and how cultures are expressed and combined in all kinds of films. Great films always inspire me and I hope to gain the ability to inspire others. I am still seeking a way to become a filmmaker, and I cannot wait to meet more talented peers on LIYFF. LIYFF is here to be a guiding light for all emerging high school filmmakers!

I decided to take part in the LIYFF project because of my passion for film. By hosting this event with others like me, I can not only enlighten others with the beauty of film, but also learn more about myself as a film-lover. This was a great opportunity to enrich my experience and inspire more people. Through LIYFF, I wish to inspire other students with the power of film. By watching and sharing films which we value can bring change and impact on their lives. Specifically, our theme, feminism, targets young females to know that they can be anything they want, despite the stereotypes or discrimination.

When talking about books and movies, people often take the difference between the two to be about the level of sophistication. Many would say that books are always intellectually valuable, while movies are merely commercial entertainments. However, such opinion is only supported by short-sightedness. Joining LIYFF gave me the opportunity to explore deeper into cinematography, as well as the chance to share my passions for and understanding of movies to others. Movies are not only exquisite, as a form of art, for the sentiments, opinions, and philosophies that it can carry, but also for the fact that it connects people together. Trading understandings about a movie would always be beneficial for the mind, and LIYFF would give me, as well as all participants of its activities, greater access to such interactions.

Hello! My name is Linda Lin and I’m currently a rising senior at Culver Academies. I’m a published author and my first novel, The Isle is published in 2020 by Eastwest Press. My realistic fiction, Elysium Abyss and my chapbook, Buried Blue is both available on Amazon. Cinematic arts have always been a passion of mine, mainly because I believe that screenplays serve as a backbone for each movie. Moreover, the process of watching the work I’ve written got produced was quite exciting for me. By joining LIYFF, it allowed me to showcase my work and to find those that are equally passionate about screenwriting and film studies.

I am Michelle from NMH. Being a member of this fantastic team to help organize LIYFF not only allows me to explore the fascinating beauty and art of the field of film and mass media but also deepens my understanding of our central theme this year —— feminism and female power. It is truly thought-provoking how films, cultural products which we consume, involve various dimensions of emotional, entertaining, and instructive value, and are capable of delivering important messages to audiences that can make a huge impact on both individual and group levels to shape people’s thoughts, perspectives, and values. Films make a difference, and we are glad to have the chance to create the platform of LIYFF this year to express essential ideas of feminism. Let’s wait and see.