Vivienne Chow Chinese director Jia Zhangke has quit the Pingyao International Film Festival that he co-founded four years ago.
The festival will be handed over to the Pingyao city government, sparking speculation and concerns over how the reputable young festival will next develop.The internationally-renown auteur dropped the bombshell at Sunday’s press conference that concluded the fourth edition of the festival.
Staff and media in attendance were shocked by Jia’s announcement, according to Chinese media reports.“We have not spent a penny of the government’s money,” Jia said at the press conference.
The festival has successfully established itself as an international brand, operating with resources from the private sector, he added.
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