COP29 | International Climate Film Festival Awards Ceremony Held, “Urban Wild Residents” Wins Gold Award

During the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29), the “Climate Film and Television Public Welfare Communication” Side Event and the 9th China International Climate Film and Television Festival Award Ceremony, hosted by the Organizing Committee of the China (Shenzhen) International Climate Film and Television Festival, Shenzhen BiaoXin Science Popularization Research Institute, and International Climate Film and Television Promotion Association, were held at the China Pavilion.
The side event featured an award ceremony for the 9th China International Climate Film and Television Festival, inviting representatives from the countries of the award-winning films to receive awards on behalf of the award-winning units or directors. They exchanged insights on filming about climate change and disseminated the image of China’s grassroots actions to address climate change. This was also the first time that the China (Shenzhen) International Climate Film and Television Festival had held its award ceremony on an international stage.
A total of 862 works from 95 countries and regions were received for this festival. “Urban Wild Residents” from China won the Gold Award, “Climate Emergency: Feedback Loop” from the United States and “Pad Thai” from Thailand won the Silver Awards, and “The Origin of ‘Carbon’ in the Godly ‘Carbon’ Family” from China, “The Young People of Beni Village” from Germany, and “Sustainable Utilization and Management of Non-Native Tree Species in the Alps” from Italy won the Bronze Awards. Leaders of the Chinese delegation to COP29 and international experts on climate change presented the awards to the winners.
Liu Zhenmin, China’s Special Envoy for Climate Change, delivered a speech, stating that the China International Climate Film and Television Festival helps people直观地 “see climate change” through a “seeing is believing” approach, which is where the unique charm and enormous influence of climate-themed film and television works lie. The Chinese government will continue to support the development of the China Climate Film and Television Festival, emphasize inclusiveness and diversity, and rely on the COP platform to work together to create a grand event for climate film and television in the global village.
Chen Suping, the founder of the China (Shenzhen) International Climate Film and Television Festival, chairman of the International Climate Film and Television Promotion Association, and chairman of the Shenzhen BiaoXin Science Popularization Research Institute, said that during the ten years of the festival’s development, film and television creators from more than 130 countries and regions worldwide have actively participated, providing thousands of excellent works. The festival organizes national-level experts to evaluate the works and promotes and screens the excellent works for free in communities and schools, achieving good public welfare results and making positive actions for the dissemination of climate change among the Chinese people.
Karina Larsen, Head of Entertainment and Cultural Climate Action at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, said in her speech that the efforts of the climate film and television festival made us realize that climate action is not only about science and policy but also about people’s hearts, minds, and the stories we share. It shows how narrative art can make climate change vivid and tangible in a way that data cannot achieve. The China International Climate Film and Television Festival and its award ceremony have always been at the forefront of these efforts, serving not only as a cultural celebration but also as a catalyst for global change.
Yan Shidong, Director of the Propaganda and Education Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, released “Going with the Flow” on behalf of the co-producers. This is China’s first realistic film depicting environmental protection law enforcement.
At the event, Karina Larsen, Head of Entertainment and Cultural Climate Action at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and Chen Suping, the founder and chairman of the China International Climate Film and Television Festival, jointly announced the launch of the Global Youth Climate Short Video Contest and the 2025 work collection for the 10th China International Climate Film and Television Festival. They sincerely invited young people worldwide to participate and looked forward to holding the first award ceremony at COP30 or earlier.
The China International Climate Film and Television Festival (“HCCFF”) is China’s first public welfare film festival focusing on climate change. Since its launch in September 2015, it has collected 12,636 films from more than 130 countries and regions, and a total of 88 award-winning works have been selected from nine festivals.