Morning Star Shines in University Town, Sci Fi 'Reconstructs' New Future
On the afternoon of November 29th, the large lawn of the Shenzhen University City Bay Area International Youth Exchange Service Station was filled with passionate music and sparkling stars. With the futuristic opening performance of the "Ancient City New Voice" band, the 11th Morning Star Awards Chinese Original Science Fiction Literature Contests Ceremony was grandly held here.
This event is funded by the Special Fund for the Development of Propaganda, Culture and Sports in Nanshan District, guided by the Guangdong Science Popularization Writers Association, jointly organized by the Science Fiction Professional Committee of the Guangdong Science Popularization Writers Association, the Taoyuan Street Office of Nanshan District, the Preparatory Working Group for University City Operation and Management, the Shenzhen Book and Publication Industry Association, and Shenzhen Creative Route Cultural Development Co., Ltd. Yao Guocheng, Secretary of the Party Branch of Guangdong Science Popularization Writers Association, Fu Zhizhuang, a fourth level researcher of the Propaganda Department of Nanshan District Committee of the Communist Party of China in Shenzhen, Guan Wei, Deputy Secretary of the Party Working Committee and Director of the Office of Taoyuan Street in Nanshan District, as well as renowned science fiction writer Francesco Verso from Italy, Lazi, Deputy Editor in Chief of Science Fiction World magazine, Hugo Award winner and famous science fiction writer Hai Yan, Wang Nuonuo, a young science fiction writer from Shenzhen, Sun Yue, General Manager of Chengdu Yixing Cultural Media, and Ma Guobin, initiator of the Science & Fantasy Growth Foundation, gathered together to witness this science fiction event. The event is hosted by young science fiction writer Lu Fan.
Breaking boundaries, interpreting the theme of "reconstruction" on site with the phrase "borderless"
As the first sports event brand in China with original science fiction content as its core and public welfare funding as its model, "Morning Star Awards" has been in existence for eleven years. The theme of this competition is "Reconstruction", aiming to find order in fission and write hope in turbulence through science fiction as a thought laboratory in the context of global changes and technological acceleration.
The award ceremony broke the traditional indoor conference mode and was located on the open lawn of the university city, fully in line with the governance concept of "integration of three districts and borderless coexistence" advocated by Taoyuan Street Office.
Guan Wei, Deputy Secretary of the Party Working Committee and Director of the Office of Taoyuan Street in Nanshan District, stated in his speech that Taoyuan Street is committed to breaking down the physical and psychological barriers of campuses, parks, and communities, and building a "university city without walls".
This event brought together representatives of science fiction clubs from universities across the country from the Hundred Schools Alliance, making science fiction culture a universal language that connects youth, communities, and the world. It is not only a competition, but also a vivid practice of the university city's internationalization and youthfulness.
Summary by the Chairman of the Competition Judges: The creative power of the new generation continues to burst forth
Subsequently, Sanfeng, the chairman of the competition judges and a specially appointed expert from the China Science Fiction Research Center, summarized the competition. He pointed out that the 11th "Morning Star Awards" received high-quality works, especially under the theme of "reconstruction", a large number of excellent works focusing on cutting-edge issues such as future social structure, artificial intelligence ethics, and environmental change emerged. This not only reflects the precise grasp of the pulse of the times by young creators, but also marks the continuous burst of the creative power of the new generation of Chinese science fiction in depth and breadth.
The grand prize was announced, and the new generation of power amazed the audience
In the exciting award ceremony, each major prize was announced one by one, showcasing the vigorous vitality of China's new generation of science fiction creation.
The Best Short Science Fiction Novel Award went to author Rust City's "Flowers Bloom on One Shore in Another Sea", which won unanimous praise from the judges for its novel worldview structure and smooth narrative.
The Best Medium length Science Fiction Novel Award was presented to the work "Give Me a World", whose author "Dream Mirror Language", although a high school student, demonstrates a depth of thought and writing ability that transcends age.
The Best Children's Science Fiction Novel award was won by Zou Caiqin's "Emotional Forbidden Zone".
The author Hu Shi's "Under the Eyes of Stars" won the Long Form Science Fiction Creation Funding Award, reflecting the competition's public welfare support for potential works.
The Best Long Novel Science Fiction Award was won by Ding Tianran's "Son of Wind and Sand". This work depicts a rough and magnificent new world landscape in the style of wasteland punk, and was praised by the jury as an "eternal science fiction pursuit of love and freedom".
In addition, the event also specially commended the outstanding creators of the "My Science Fiction Creation Diary" micro science fiction challenge, encouraging the public to record science fiction moments in their lives.
China and Italy join hands, 'Calvino' plans to sail out to sea
An international cooperation project dedicated to promoting the "going global" of Chinese science fiction, the "Calvino" Science Fiction Overseas Plan, was comprehensively upgraded and reflected at this ceremony. The plan aims to draw on the successful experience of science fiction exchange between China and France, and build a long-term cooperation channel for science fiction culture and industry between China and Italy through a combination model of "exhibition+forum+residency+publication".
On site signing to deepen literary cooperation. Ma Guobin, initiator of the Science & Fantasy Growth Foundation, and Francisco Walso, founder of Future Fiction in Italy, jointly signed a cooperation agreement in the presence of all guests present. This cooperation will focus on the publication, translation, and copyright cooperation of Sino Italian science fiction literature, comprehensively promoting the entry of excellent Chinese science fiction literature works into the Italian and European markets.
Dual track development, expanding cooperation in film and television art. Meanwhile, the "Calvino" project has also reached a strategic cooperation agreement with the internationally renowned science fiction festival, Trieste Science+Fiction Festival, on the eve of the award ceremony. The agreement was signed by Science Fiction Foundation director Ma Yuepeng and the organizing committee of the Trieste Science+Fiction Festival, Francisco Luzier. The cooperation aims to promote comprehensive exchanges in the fields of science fiction film, art, and integrated culture.
These two collaborations signify that Chinese science fiction has officially established a dual track mechanism of Sino Italian cooperation in the fields of "literature" and "film and television art", providing a solid international platform support for the diversified development of science fiction IP.
Subsequently, Walsall delivered a keynote speech titled "The Cultural Expansion of Chinese and Italian Science Fiction". From an international perspective, he delved into the opportunities and challenges of cross-cultural exchange, and depicted a grand vision for the live audience of Sino Italian science fiction going both ways.
Subsequently, a roundtable forum with the theme of "Exploring the Internationalization Path of Sino Italian Science Fiction" was held on site. Under the leadership of Ma Yuepeng, director of the Science & Fantasy Growth Foundation, Francisco Walso, deputy editor in chief of Science Fiction World magazine, Raz, Hugo Award winner Hai Yan, and young science fiction writer Wang Nono conducted in-depth discussions on topics such as differences in science fiction creation concepts between China and foreign countries, international copyright cooperation, and global operational strategies for Chinese science fiction IP. The guests unanimously agreed that using the "Morning Star Awards" as a bridge, through content translation and industry collaboration, will effectively promote the connection between Chinese science fiction and the world, and jointly draw a new blueprint for international science fiction exchange.
Audiovisual feast, traditional and future resonate on the lawn
The award ceremony not only features a serious academic summary, but also a visual and auditory feast that integrates diverse arts. Students from the DK5S Street Dance Club of Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School brought a vibrant street dance performance, igniting the youthful passion on site.
Xu Hongyu from the Taikoo Science Fiction School of Jinzhong University of Information Technology has brought a unique fast-paced video titled 'Time Ode to SGF'. The crisp sound of bamboo boards cleverly collides with the theme of science fiction, narrating the ten-year development process of the Morning Star Awards. This innovative interpretation that combines traditional folk art with future science fiction has won rounds of applause from the live audience.
Morning Star enters the sea, exploring new paths for sci-fi IP landing
With the end of the award ceremony, the event entered a deep industry exploration stage - the "Morning Star Sea" cultural salon. Under the leadership of Ma Guobin, the initiator of the Science & Fantasy Growth Foundation, a brainstorming session on the landing of science fiction was held on site.
In the roundtable theme dialogue of "Two way Journey, Value Coexistence: How Science Fiction IP Lights up Urban Living Rooms", science fiction writers, bookstore representatives, and industry association representatives had in-depth exchanges on how to build a science fiction literature ecosystem of "content+space+community".
From the initial appearance of the stars to the wildfire, the 11th "Morning Star Awards" is not only a review of the sci-fi achievements of the past year, but also a heartfelt message for the future. On the innovative land of Nanshan, Chinese science fiction is taking a "reconstruction" posture, breaking boundaries, connecting the world, and heading towards its own star sea.