Apply for a 2024 (2nd edition) MINT Chinese Film Festival Active Audience Award for an inspiring festival journey now 

We are delighted to offer 30 awards of £100 to Edinburgh University students attending the 2nd edition of MINT Chinese Film Festival in Keswick, Cumbria, 1-4 February 2024. If you are interested in Chinese cinemas and motivated to embark on an exciting festival journey along the Chinese Spring Festival in the beautiful Northern England’s Lake District, then this is a fantastic opportunity for you! Please carefully read the Award criteria and application instructions in this article and submit your application to us as soon as possible: the deadline is 11 pm on Friday 26 January 2024.

The purpose and the coverage of the Award

The Mint Active Audience Award is supported by the Edinburgh Student Experience scheme, to motivate students from the University of Edinburgh to explore this exciting cultural event and experience the diversity of Chinese cinemas.

Our bursary awards are a contribution to the cost of travel and accommodation for those who are taking part in the festival. Please keep your travel, booking receipts and festival pass/tickets for subsequent reviewing purposes.

Award Criteria

You must be an enrolled undergraduate/postgraduate/PhD candidate/visiting student currently registered at the University of Edinburgh to be eligible for an award.

The Mint Chinese Film Festival particularly welcomes participation and applications from women (cis/transgender/those identifying as a woman) and LGBTQ+ individuals/diverse sexualities.

In making awards, priority will be given to students who can demonstrate the following:

-a) that attendance at the festival is of particular relevance to your course of studies/intended future career, and/or you are interested in Chinese cinemas/gender issues/cross-cultural communications. Anything you think will demonstrate your interest is acceptable. It can be your enrolled courses/research/essays/film reviews/artworks/creative projects/short films/ticket receipts/reflections on these topics, or even a photo of you attending a film screening, a cultural event, a leisure trip, a research conference, a festival and so on!

- b) active participation in student societies of relevance to China, and/or film curation/film studies/filmmaking, and/or women and sexual/gender diversity

- c) financial need - let us know why you need support for your travel and accommodation to participate in the Festival

Application deadline and instruction

Please apply by emailing Team Mint at mintcffteam@gmail.com from your Edinburgh University email address, stating, in a maximum of 400 words, why you want to attend the Festival and how you meet the criteria above with the requested materials, by 11 pm on Friday 26 January 2024, with the subject line of MINT CFF Active Audience Award application and your full name (surname then given name), and your student number.

The deadline for applying for the Award is 11 pm on Friday 26 January 2024.  Applications made after this time will not be considered.

Awards will be confirmed by email around 29th Jan and issued to recipients after the festival, on evidence of the purchase of a festival pass or film ticket(s) for the MINT Chinese Film Festival. Please make sure to keep receipts for festival tickets, travel and/or accommodation for internal review purposes, as any candidate who fails to provide such evidence will have their award withdrawn.

About the 2024 (2nd edition) Mint Chinese Film Festival

Mint Chinese Film Festival (MINT CFF) is the first women-organised Chinese film festival in the UK that focuses on cross-cultural communication and the representation of women. This film festival is a joint initiative between Edinburgh University alumnus Carol Rennie (MSc and PhD in Chinese Literature), the owner and director of the Keswick Alhambra Cinema, and Yixiang Shirley Lin (2022 MSc graduate in Film, Exhibition and Curation).

Mint CFF is back for its fresh 2nd edition next month from Feb 1-4 in Keswick Alhambra Cinema to welcome the Chinese New Year!

 We invite all UK film lovers to join us for a 4-day vibrant festival with rich Chinese film screenings, premieres, competition showcase, and the fascinating Festival Gala, engage in a thoughtful panel discussion with invited UK and Chinese film experts, and explore creativity at a workshop led by women artists and curators. Exciting cultural events and outdoor activities are planned in town, allowing every Minter, film lover, emerging filmmaker, film professional and female artist from China and the UK to experience the Chinese festive atmosphere and celebrate the Year of the Dragon with the best and most pioneering Chinese films!

Watch the trailer to learn more about our selection of films and discover a fascinating encounter between Chinese cinema and the Lake District.

For more information about the festival programme, schedules, travel & accommodation, and ticketing, please visit our website unicornscreening.com

About 2024 Active Audience Award

Mint Active Audience Award is fully supported by The University of Edinburgh’s Student Experience Grants scheme to motivate students from the University of Edinburgh to explore this exciting cultural event and the diversity of Chinese film. In line with our mission and curatorial ethos, the Mint CFF encourages in particular women and sexual/gender diverse groups living in Edinburgh to participate in the 2 edition of the Mint Chinese Film Festival in Keswick, exploring the diversity of Chinese cinemas and connecting with like-minded people.

Acknowledgement

2024 (2nd edition) Mint Chinese Film Festival was supported by alumni and friends of the University of Edinburgh through the Student Experience Grants scheme.