"When I was a kid, I watched a lot of movies, and I think the movie world is very magical, and movie artists are magicians. My dream is to become a film artist and create a dream world through my own design. "Bienvenido Juanito, a short film by Chinese art director Kou Yibo, was shortlisted for the 2023 American Film Institute Film Festival and premiered last month at the famous Chinese Theater on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Before that, many of his works were also shortlisted for the Los Angeles International Short Film Festival, Santa Fe International Film Festival and other well-known awards, widely praised.
The production team of Bienvenido Juanito came from several countries, including the United States, Sweden, and Mexico, and it was not easy to be selected and shown at several major film festivals. Born in Tianjin in 1994, Kou Yibo studied filmmaking at the California Institute of the Arts in the United States, and then received a master of fine Arts from the world-renowned American Film Institute.
In Hollywood, Los Angeles, he has worked on and produced several outstanding short films and independent feature-length films.
Kou Yibo is the film's art director, ensuring the film's visual artistry and contributing significantly to the film's success.
The AFI Film Festival is an important award for the American film industry and is seen as a bellwether for the Oscars. It is accredited by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, the Academy Awards, and the BAFTA British Academy Awards.
At the just-concluded festival, many famous Hollywood filmmakers participated in the festival, including Greta Gerwig, Sam Esmail and others.
During the screening of the film, the audience responded enthusiastically. Many viewers expressed their emotional resonance with the story after watching the movie.
Based on true events, Bienvenido Juanito tells the story of a Mexican mother and son who reunite after a long separation, but who have grown apart and the mother tries to reconnect with her son.
The film not only explores the relationship between mother and son, but also includes the cultural background and social environment of the United States and Mexico.
The film was also shortlisted for Best Short Film at the Los Angeles International Short Film Festival this summer, where it was seen by thousands of people. The film will continue to be shown in several locations across the United States in the coming weeks.
Speaking about the film's art direction, Kou Yibo said the film's design was challenging. "The film is a bilingual film in Spanish and English with a strong cultural background. I was involved in researching the story during the writing stage."
Kou Yibo said, "I carefully studied the unique cultural elements in the story, such as the production of props, the choice of colors, which have been carefully designed.
I hope that my design will not only make the audience feel the beauty of the picture, but also use the power of art to connect with the audience's emotions by showing unique cultural elements."
Kou Yibo's unique artistic perspective and background are the key to his excellence as a film artist. In addition to being a filmmaker, he is also an architect. Kou Yibo is good at applying the elements of life into his design, so that his films are close to life, but also make the story of the film true.
"I've recently worked on a number of short films, and I'm looking forward to the release of Quicksand. In this film, I created a scene of people's life in the future. Through this story of human destiny, I hope the film can draw people's attention to environmental protection."
It is reported that Kou Yibo has a number of upcoming works. It also includes a feature-length film, Roses On The Vine, in post-production with Hollywood producer John Funk (Modern Family), which is expected to hit US screens next year.
