The capital's arts institutes have been overrun with creative young hopefuls desperate to sign up for majors since the annual enrolment scramble began last weekend.

 

Beijing Film Academy (BFA), one of China's top institutes for movie making, welcomed 15,000 candidates in just five days since February 5.

 

"The number is higher than last year when we had 13,000 people signed up," said Lu Hua, from the academy.

 

Screenwriting, film directing, art direction and animation have all seen an increase in the number of candidates this year of about 45 percent, Lu said.

 

But the enthusiasm for the arts is a fairly recent phenomenon.

 

In 2002, only 32,000 students signed up to sit entrance exams for arts institutes in the eastern province of Shandong, but the figure soared to 146,000 last year, the Qingdao Daily reported.

 

BFA's Performance Institute plans to enroll only 30 students this year, but more than 5,200 people are banging on the doors of the cradle of Chinese film stars, according to Lu.

 

Many want their children to work as actors and become movie and TV stars, according to Cui Xinqin, deputy director of the Performance Institute.

 

"The increasing media coverage on the movie and TV sector nowadays has enticed many parents and young people to have that dream," Cui said. "The improved living conditions have also allowed them to pay for courses and tap the talent."

 

But many candidates are sitting the entrance tests to pursue their own dreams.

 

(China Daily February 11, 2006)