The FIRST International Film Festival, founded in 2006, is one of China’s most vibrant and avant-garde annual cinematic events, usually held in Xining, Qinghai each midsummer. Through its main competition (First Feature), Financing Forum, Training Camp, and Industry Screenings, it bridges emerging filmmakers with the film industry, serving not only as a crucial discovery ground for independent Sinophone cinema but also as a definitive launching pad for many young auteur directors onto the international stage.

Since its inception, FIRST has championed “raw vitality” and “independent spirit,” continuously witnessing and chronicling the natural growth and aesthetic evolution of Chinese-language youth cinema from the northwestern plateau, far from traditional capital hubs. This selection gathers titles that were shortlisted, awarded, or incubated at the festival, tracing the long-lasting connection between this magnetic platform and the narrative landscape of China’s new generation of filmmakers.