Although Wanmacaidan, a Tibetan director, was happy for the success of his film in the concluding Chinese film festival, he regrets that there are not enough good films about the 55 minority groups in China.

"Actually, there is abundant film material in the life of ethnic groups, whose population occupies nearly 9 percent of the Chinese total," said Wanmacaidan, 36 years old, who has won the Maiden Direction award at the 25th Golden Rooster awards, dubbed "China's Oscars," by his 102-minute movie "Silent Holy Stone."

As the first-ever Tibetan film with Chinese subtitles, starred, written and directed by Tibetans, "Silent Holy Stone" is about the "silent changes" taking place in Tibet.

"Over the past years, many people have told stories of my hometown with words or video, covering it in a mysterious veil which is difficult to get rid of," Wanmacaidan said, adding that he dislikes people's view that Tibet is a place separated and isolated from the outside world.

"I'm eager to present the real situation of my hometown to the audience," he said.

In 2004, China made 12 ethnic minority-related films, a small proportion of the total film output of 212, according to the Film Bureau, the State Administration of Radio Film and Television (SARFT).

Among the 12 films, just a few have been released in theaters, SARFT sources said, adding there are just five film studios in the four ethnic autonomous regions and Yunnan Province.

Zheng Dongtian, a film scholar and director, said there have been few influential movies about ethnic minorities for decades since their prosperity in the 1960s.

During the 17 years between the foundation of new China in 1949 and the breakout of the Cultural Revolution in 1966, great achievements were made in the production of ethnic minority-related films, among which, many have won international awards.

In 1952, "The Victory of the Inner Mongolian People" received a screenwriting award at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. In 1960, "Five Golden Flowers" about the lives of Bai ethnic people won the Best Director award and the Best Actress award at the Egypt Asia-Africa Film Festival.

Interestingly, "Serf," about Tibet's revolution, and "Ashima," on Yi ethnic people's love story, won awards from Philippines and Spain respectively in 1981 and 1982, both 18 years after they were made, which showed their ever-lasting aesthetic value and vitality, experts say.

There were two ethnic minority-related films winning this year's Golden Rooster awards. In addition to "Silent Holy Stone," "Kekexili Mountain Patrol," about saving the Tibetan antelope from ruthless poachers, received the Best Feaure Film award.

However, "Huayao Bride in Shangrila," which tells a story from the ethnic Yi minority and was nominated for the Best Actress, failed to win an award.

Zheng attributes the depressed actuality of the ethnic minority-related films to the shortage of screenwriters, directors and other film personnel.

"The current ethnic minorities-related movies tend to be superficial and shallow, without real ethnic perspectives," he said.

Xie Fei, a prestigious director, said though it will be hard for minority-related films to redeem the prosperity of the "Ashima" ages, the film-makers can win back the hearts of their audience by their endeavors.

"The development of ethnic minorities-related movies will refresh the Chinese industry," Wanmacaidan said.
 
(Xinhua News Agency November 16, 2005)