Story Chen’s Feature Debut There Will Be Snow, Supported by AmeriChina, Wins Award at Busan International Film Festival

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, October 15, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — There Will Be Snow, written and directed by Jianying (Story) Chen, has been awarded the Bishkek International Film Festival-Central Asia Cinema Award at the 31st Busan International Film Festival. The jury praised the director for masterfully transforming a dystopian setting into a hypnotic visual landscape of snow, ice and monumental forms, while exploring loneliness, memory and the human need for warmth with a rare balance of cinematic grandeur and intimate psychological insight.

This feature directorial debut of Chen stars Tian’ai Zhao, with Xiao Chen in a special starring role, alongside cast members Junting Wu, Sha Bai and Yueling Shi. An Nai serves as executive producer, with Xiaoyuan Li as producer. Jingzhu Yang, CEO of AmeriChina Group, joins the project as co-producer and, having invested in the film, will continue to support its promotion and distribution.

Shot entirely on location in Harbin, the film draws its visual foundation from snow-covered streets and a cityscape in constant flux. For Chen, Harbin is the city where she grew up. Returning there to make her first feature, she transformed the real-life locations of her hometown into the fictional “Glaceterre” of 2035, giving the story of home, memory and departure a deeply personal resonance.

“There Will Be Snow is a film about memory, choice and the confirmation of self,” Chen has said of the project. As artificial intelligence and urban systems continue to advance, making life increasingly efficient and seamless, the authentic and unhurried emotions that connect people are coming under renewed scrutiny. Through protagonist Chen Gu’s re-confrontation with her hometown, her body and inner self, the film explores how people in a future world might affirm their existence and preserve emotional warmth.

The film marks an important step in Chen’s transition from short films to feature filmmaking. In 2022, her short The Water Murmurs won the Short Film Palme d’Or at the 75th Cannes Film Festival. From the themes of city, memory and parting in that earlier work to this return to her hometown for her first feature, her work continues to place its characters within changing environments, attending to how individuals come to recognize their feelings and make choices anew.

There Will Be Snow is having four public screenings during the 31st Busan International Film Festival.

The AmeriChina Foundation was established in New York in 2025. Its founder, Jingzhu Yang, has stated that the foundation will continue to support the artistic work and exploration of international young filmmakers such as Jianying (Story) Chen.

Simon Shi
AmeriChina Group

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