China’s movie market now boasts to be the world’s number one in terms of box office revenue and number two in terms of the number of films produced. On the flip side, film culture is still heavily regulated by the state. The history of auteur-driven cinema in China has always been shaped while balancing state regulation. In present-day China, which is in the midst of severe political and social change, a new generation born after the Tiananmen Square protests is breathing new life into contemporary cinematic expression. “Qingnian Express” was a six-program screening of representative works from recent years allowing insights into the present and future of Chinese film. A symposium was also held to present the current state of Chinese independent cinema.