Travel Restrictions, Film News and Art exhibitions
Just when everyone thought that it was beginning to clear, lockdown restrictions are reappearing across Europe due to recurrences of the Covid-19 virus. In the UK the certain areas have been put into local ‘Lockdown’ as virus testing showed higher levels of cases than the rest of the country. Several towns and regions are being monitored closely.
Many people in the UK took the opportunity to grasp last minute summer holidays, as safe travel zones were established between the UK and a number of European countries including popular holiday destinations in France, Italy, Spain and Greece. Unfortunately, a second wave of virus infections in Spain has caused the government to re-impose a 14 day quarantine period on anyone travelling back to the UK from Spain. Hundreds of tourists that flew to Spain for a summer break will now have to quarantine upon their return.
Restrictions remain on travel from the UK to China. Routine travel is still restricted by the UK government and anyone arriving in the UK from China within ‘essential’ travel parameters will have to self-isolate for 14 days, Meanwhile, the Chinese government is enforcing a 14 day quarantine upon arrival for any foreign nationals entering the country.
However, there is some progress to report in entertainments sectors.
In Football, the English Premier League ended this weekend with Liverpool crowned as worthy Champions. Champions League semi-finals are due to resume in two weeks time. Meanwhile, China’s Super League has just started its new season.
In the film world, Shanghai saw the opening of the 23rd International Shanghai Film and TV Festival on Saturday 25th July, with outdoor screenings at the Dancing Moon Plaza. There are to be 150 free films screened across Shanghai as a part of the festival events.
Giving thanks to their work over recent times The Huaxia Film Distribution Co. is joining up with cinemas across China to screen films especially for medical workers (and students) starting from Friday. Over 4 million free cinema tickets will be available throughout August.
Unfortunately, one film that nobody will be seeing for a while is the new Disney version of ‘Mulan’ starring Liu Yifei, Gong Li, Donny Chen and Jet Li. The film had been scheduled for initial release in the US in March but was postponed until April, further postponed to July and has now been postponed again, this time indefinitely.
Meanwhile, Shanghai Administration of Culture and Tourism has announced that around 500 performances will be staged across 124 city theatres, venues being disinfected twice a day to avoid any spread of infection. Performances are to include dance, operas, musical plays, dramas and magic shows.
Further to this, Shanghai artists are to showcase their works online throughout September to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. The ‘Global Cultural Art Exhibition’ is to include original dances, paintings, dramas and song.
Finally, September will see the unveiling of a work of art that has taken 8 years to reach its current form, although it is still incomplete.
Artist Liao Zhenwu has created a 30m canvas oil painting showing a panoramic view of the Republic of China (1912-1949) which is on display at Shanghai Marie’s Art Museum in September, before commencing a tour of the country. The painting ‘Stories of Minguo’ shows period architecture, all varieties of transport in use throughout the Republic period along with characters in period costume as he captures the essence of this historically important period in China’s history. There is no mention of how long the completed version will be and how many more years it will take to complete, let’s hope that the artists doesn’t give up and manages to complete this remarkable work.