Leicester’s Chinese film festival, Electric Shadows, has secured new support from Hong Kong-based financial services firm Hantec Group as it enters its fourth year.
Co-founder, Dr Hiu Man Chan, a senior lecturer in the Creative Industries at DMU, believes the new backing will help Electric Shadows drive Leicester into a new age of global cultural exchange.
She said: “Electric Shadows is a relatively new addition to many well-known festivals in the city of Leicester. It is a true adventure to work with different partners each year to nurture its growth, at the same time exploring a space for conversation via a shared passion in the cinema.
“For me, conversation is a vital contribution to the SDG 11 that DMU advocates as an UN Academic Impact Hub. The new sponsorship enables new partners to visit Leicester for the first time, and to discover cultural exchange activities outside of the capital.”
The seven-day festival, delivered by De Montfort University’s School of Creative Industries and Culture, will run from 24 to 30 November across Phoenix Cinema and Art Centre and Showcase Cinema de Lux. This year’s programme features seven contemporary Chinese films, including the UK premiere of The Shore of Life.
The festival aligns with broader efforts to develop Leicester’s film sector. Location Leicester, an initiative led by 52 Stone Film in partnership with Visit Leicester, is assessing the potential for a dedicated film office to support production activity in the city. Dan Edwards, CEO of 52 Stone Film, will act as honorary MC at the festival’s opening event.
DMU continues to expand its contribution to independent cinema. In recent months, funding from Professor Jason Lee through Evolved Film supported the feature 22+1, which premiered at the London Film Festival. The university’s Cinema and Television History group is also working with Film is Fabulous to preserve and present rare British film and television archives.
