Chinese cinema is gaining ground on its US counterpart, and the Beijing Film Academy is just one of the schools where the directors of the future are learning the tricks of the trade. The film school is the largest of its kind in the whole of Asia and has earned international recognition for its achievements in film production.
Originally established in 1950, the academy offers courses in various aspects of the film-making process from script writing, film directing, and film acting, to animations, cinematography, and entertainment management.
Understandably, admissions are extremely competitive with over 100,000 students applying each year for just 400-500 places. Students mostly live in single or double rooms on the campus which is located in the city’s Haidian District. Many alumni have gone on to achieve success in the Chinese film industry, while Dayyan Eng is the most notable name to successfully cross over into the western market, winning awards at both the Cannes and