PYIFF Selections

The Pingyao Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon International Film Festival (PYIFF), founded in 2017 by filmmaker Jia Zhangke alongside Marco Müller and officially named under special authorization from director Ang Lee, is held each autumn in the 2,800-year-old Ancient City of Pingyao, Shanxi. Through sections such as Crouching Tigers (International New Directors), Hidden Dragons (Chinese New Directors), Galas, Academics, and Industry platforms (Work-in-Progress Lab / Pingyao Project Promotion), it brings independent and avant-garde cinema from emerging and developing countries to public audiences, serving as a vital springboard for young auteur filmmakers onto the global stage.

Since its inception in 2017 (“Pingyao Year Zero”), the festival has rooted itself in the ancient walled city to bridge Eastern and Western cinematic dialogues, continuously discovering and showcasing diverse works marked by artistic originality, local texture, and contemporary contemplation. This selection gathers CathayPlay titles that were screened or awarded at the festival, tracing the enduring relationship between this distinctive boutique film festival and Chinese independent cinema.