Magnificent, directed by Jody Xiong of The Nine Shanghai wins 3 statues at the CLIO Music Awards

The short film “Magnificent” directed by Jody Xiong of The Nine Shanghai for Yotkan Ancient City in Xinjiang China won 3 statues at the recent 2024 CLIO Music Awards. The piece secured silver and bronze awards for cinematography and art direction respectively in the Film & Video Craft category and a bronze award for “Five Minutes and Over” in the Music Video category.

 

Xiong said: “Life is like searching got sugar in broken glass. In the cold winter and economically challenging times, we put a lot of time and effort into shooting this short film despite the limited budget, hoping to produce a dignified work in China’s complex market. It’s truly an honor to receive recognition from the Clio Music judges – a sweet piece of news!”

This film was released in the autumn and winter of 2023, a music short film created for the cultural tourism of Xinjiang and Yotkan Ancient City in China.

In the film, a boy riding a bicycle witnesses “a thousand years in an instant”. Featuring a trombonist lying in the wilderness snow playing a solo for a flock of sheep, a soccer enthusiast agile as a hare on the trunk of a poplar tree, an elderly motorcycle couple, conversing affectionately about their love as they wander the world, a performer enveloped in 39 meters of emerald silk resembling living sculptures in motion, the enchanting silhouette of a Loulan heroine running along the eaves of a red wall, the powerful cuju matches beneath the Kunlun Mountains, Tang Dynasty ladies with half-hidden faces playing pipa… It’s both real and illusory, showing the “magnificent” of Yotkan Ancient City to the world. This short film has garnered tens of millions of views on China’s social media, attracting many people to travel to Yotkan Ancient City.”

Shang Ying, General Manager of the Yotkan Ancient City in Xinjiang, China, said: “I want to extend my gratitude to The Nine Shanghai for creating ‘Magnificent’, the one-silver and two-bronze winner at 2024 Clio Music. This film was for Yotkan Ancient City, the once-thriving Yutian Kingdom (Kingdom of Khotan). The pilgrimage land on the branch of the Silk Road that ran along the southern edge of the Taklamakan Desert is artfully revived by director Jody Xiong in the film. Throughout the shooting process, the entire team braved the frigid Kunlun Snow Mountains in Hotan, traversed endless deserts and endured the harsh extremes of weather. Overcoming numerous obstacles and challenges day and night, their relentless efforts aimed to authentically capture the essence of the ancient city and validate the adage ‘in quest of Yutian’s grace, each instant, a thousand years to trace’. This film is more than a promotional piece. It offers insight into the ancient Khotan culture and unveiling the mysterious Yotkan Ancient City. I extend my gratitude to the hard work of the entire team, which has brought ‘Magnificent’ to where it is today. I also appreciate the team’s contribution to the local cultural tourism industry since they showcase the integration of contemporary culture and ethnic traditions nourished by the Kunlun Mountains.”