The Breakthrough China winners this year are made up of four women and one man, including Bai Xue and He Bin, the writer and director, and the producer of The Crossing respectively. This acclaimed film based on the stories of “cross-boundary children”, a demographic of Southern-Chinese adolescents who commute across the border every day between their homes in Shenzhen and schools in Hong Kong. 

Actress and supermodel Bonnie Chen wrote and directed her first short film Clover, a production where she explores the tensions between a mother and daughter and looks at feminism, forgiveness and motherhood in the modern era.

Guan Dan spearheaded The Invisible Guardian, a project that has achieved a new milestone in China’s gaming industry. The Invisible Guardian is China’s first 800-minute full-length live-action interactive film product that infuses multiple elements from the games, film and television industries. And then there is producer and writer Ye Ting, who has already been involved in two major film productions, Lost in Hong Kong and How Long Will I Love U. 

Both Bafta and Yu are hoping that publicity around these winners and the mentoring programme they will receive from writers, directors and actors high up in the British industry will allow their films to be seen by hundreds of thousands of people who have never previously watched Chinese cinema. In the past, the mentorship aspect of the initiative has been particularly impressive: Tom Holland was supported by Bafta-winning film producer David Heyman and actor Cillian Murphy; while Letitia Wright was led by actors Olivia Colman and Naomie Harris.

While they are yet to announce who exactly the honourees will be working with, they are set to be British household names, with the ability to help these up and coming stars find fame in the UK.

“Creative industries have a unique power to inspire, innovate and create legacy,” says Yu. “They shape our culture, our lives and our dreams. When I moved back to Shanghai in 2017, it was then that I became particularly passionate about giving back and contributing to my own country. We partnered with the Business of Fashion on the first ever “China Prize”, which was established to help identify emerging Chinese fashion designers and accelerate their careers. Similarly, we have partnered with Bafta to provide the same opportunity in entertainment.”

And while the exact ins and outs of China’s soft power is impossible to quantify as it ranges hugely from one country to the next, it is undeniable that the US and Europe could do with finding more cultural ties to Asia. And perhaps this is one way to do it.

“At Yu Holdings, we consider ourselves to bridge East and West,” says Yu. “We are committed to bringing world-class resources and opportunities to Chinese emerging talents.”

See more honourees from the Philanthropy & Charity category of the Gen.T List 2019.