Distinguished guests, dear friends:

           Hello everyone! Thank you for your presence which makes the Golden Tree shine more golden.

I am very glad that the Golden Tree International Documentary Film Festival ushered in the 7th edition, and everyone gathered under the Golden Tree again. It is a pity that I cannot be there to welcome you and discuss the present and future of the documentary industry with you. Thousands of miles apart, please believe that I am with you in the distant Beijing, China.

From the birth, reproduction and development of human beings, different environments have produced different civilizations. For thousands of years, cultural difference has been like a gap between us, resulting in too many misunderstandings and even wars. The advent of the information age has brought great changes to the world. People have begun to realize that the earth is a village. Events that happen on one end of the earth are instantly transmitted to the other end of the earth. When information that is difficult to distinguish between true and false is flying everywhere and makes people at a loss, people are more eager to know the truth. Perhaps, this is why we love documentaries more and more. Truth is the only essential characteristic of documentaries.

In 2011 in Berlin, a German documentary film director said to me, “In Europe, we need a documentary film festival. This festival not only connects with Europe but also with China. Chinese is suitable to initiate it.” It is very incredible that when I came to Paris from Berlin at that time, French documentary filmmakers also said the same thing to me, but they barely even knew each other. So we started thinking about the documentary industry and researching it. In 2015, I discussed with my French friends how to create a documentary film festival, allowing documentary filmmakers from all over the world to record and display the cultural roots of each country and nation through their lens so that everyone can understand and respect each other better, and at the same time provide a platform for exchange and cooperation for documentary filmmakers all over the world. Following such purpose and goal, we have been working hard since 2016. In the past few years, 22,924 films have signed up for the competition, 55 films have won awards, 326 documentary experts participated in the review, and 218 experts participated in the round table discussion, involving documentary filmmakers from 164 countries and regions. At this moment, I would like to thank Mr. Alain Lepichon, Ms. Prune Santelli, Mr. Pierre Henri Deleau, and Mr. Shao Liang, and pay tribute to the late Mr. Jean Claude Carrierre, who was the judge of the first Golden Tree International Documentary Film Festival, and may he rest in peace, it is their help make the birth and development of the Golden Tree International Documentary Film Festival possible, thank you.

Today's world is facing ecological challenges that threaten the survival of human beings. Documentaries are an effective means, not only to provide imagination for the opening of environmentally friendly living patterns, but also to allow the public to better understand artists or art movements. The rapid development of artificial intelligence keeps surprising the world. The emergence of Chat GPT is surprising but also deeply frightening. The high proportion of female directors in the documentary industry may enlighten and motivate a film industry full of gender stereotypes. These are all things to explore in the coming days.

Thanks to 40 jury members of the 7th Golden Tree International Documentary Film Festival. Thanks to the experts and executive team of the Golden Tree International Documentary Film Festival for their efforts, and all the people who care about and help the Golden Tree Festival. Thank you.

Tonight, we are gathering in Paris and in this legendary and wonderful Le Grand Rex. Let us forget the pandemic, forget the war and come to a feast of documentaries. Tonight, warmth is our theme.

Looking forward to seeing you soon in Paris.

For the documentary industry we all love, I sincerely invite you to come to China. Let’s work together to create some great events.

Thanks!