Wang Quanan (35) was born in Beijing, where he graduated from the Beijing Film Academy in 1991. Besides his activities as an independent filmmaker, he is currently working for Xian Film Studios as a director. His feature film debut, the oddball black comedy "Lunar Eclipse" ("Yueshi"), screened last month at the Moscow International Film Festival, where it was named best picture by the jury for "its refreshing portrait of contemporary Chinese life, its dark humour and its innovative cinematography". "Lunar Eclipse," set in modern-day Bejing, tells of a young married couple and a mysterious photographer, falling in love with the bride.
Wang Quanan, who shot the movie completely independent with borrowed and privately sponsored money, told that the script, which paints contemporary Bejing in a less-than-favorable light, had been approved by Chinese authorities. "It was quite unexpected and very strange," he said of the approval. "I was lucky." With the Moscow prize under his belt, the filmmaker is going to get "Lunar Eclipse" into Sundance and other festivals in Europe.

To his side is his young friend Li Ying (26), who is currently involved in his first project after graduating from the Beijing Film Academy in 1999. He belongs to a rapidly growing number of micro cineasts in China. Similar to the Danish Dogma movement these mostly young filmmakers are exited about the possibilities of digital video technology and consider it as a very impotant step in establishing an independent Chinese film production.