A scene from Coco features the Land of the Dead [Photo/Douban.com] |
In the meantime, Dead of the Dead altars will be displayed at the consulates general of Mexico in Shanghai and Guangzhou for the Chinese public to foster a deeper understanding of this essential tradition in the Mexican culture.
"Celebrations of Day of the Dead are just getting more attention and relevance in China as the interest of Chinese people to learn and experience international cultures grow," Lara noted.
Lara's observation is supported by the fact that Mexico has become the top destination of Chinese tourists in Latin America.
Furthermore, captivated by the 2017 Pixar hit Coco, an Oscar-winning animated feature inspired by and set against the Day of the Dead, an increasing number of Chinese Coco-lovers are flying to the country during this holiday so as to experience the millennia-old tradition at its most authentic.
Hundreds of travelogues would pop up after entering "Day of the Dead" in the search box of qyer.com.cn, a popular travel guide website in China. Many users posted their Day of the Dead parade experiences in Mexican city Guanajuato, whose brightly colored buildings and historic center were the inspiration behind the Land of the Dead that is seen throughout most of Coco.
The 15th Chinese Film Festival in Bangkok and the 2020 China-Thailand Film Exchange Week opens at the China Cultural Center in Bangkok on Oct 25, 2020. [Photo provided to Chinaculture.org] |
On Oct 25, the opening ceremony of the 15th Chinese Film Festival in Bangkok and the 2020 China-Thailand Film Exchange Week was held at the China Cultural Center in Bangkok. The event was hosted by the China Cultural Center in Bangkok and received strong support from the Chinese Embassy in Thailand and the Thai Ministry of Culture.
The COVID-19 pandemic doesn't impede the enthusiasm for cultural exchange between China and Thailand. This film festival uses live broadcast to present the opening ceremony and host the "China-Thailand Film Exchange and Cooperation Online Seminar". During the film festival, audiences can use the online platform of the China Cultural Center in Bangkok to watch films online, which greatly increases the global reach of the festival.
Gu Hongxing, director of the China Cultural Center in Bangkok and China Tourism Office in Bangkok, speaks at the opening ceremony. [Photo provided to Chinaculture.org] |
Gu Hongxing, director of Bangkok's China Cultural Center and China Tourism Office, said film can not only introduce one's national culture, but also reflect unique social landscapes. Film has become an important part of cultural exchange between countries and enhance mutual understanding among people around the world.
Yang Xin, Chargé d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Thailand, speaks at the opening ceremony. [Photo provided to Chinaculture.org] |
Yang Xin, Chargé d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Thailand, said since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Thailand 45 years ago, the mutual trust between the two countries has continued to deepen, economic and trade cooperation has expanded, cultural exchanges have become closer, and all-around cooperation has achieved fruitful results. Both China and Thailand have a vast film market. As a traditional project of cultural exchanges between China and Thailand, the Bangkok Chinese Film Festival has laid a solid foundation for film cooperation between the two countries for 15 years and will add new drive to the promotion of cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and Thailand.
Itthiphol Kunplome, Thailand's minister of culture, speaks at the opening ceremony. [Photo provided to Chinaculture.org] |
Thailand's Minister of Culture Itthiphol Kunplome said in his speech the governments and people of Thailand and China have been in constant exchange. Cooperation in various fields has developed steadily, and the film festival is another important event to further promote cultural exchanges between the two countries. The people of the two countries can promote their understanding of the cultures of both sides through films, and promote friendly relations and cooperation in other perspectives.