The capital's arts institutes have been overrun with creative
young hopefuls desperate to sign up for majors since the annual
enrolment scramble began last weekend.
Beijing Film Academy (BFA), one of
China's top institutes for movie making, welcomed 15,000 candidates
in just five days since February 5.
"The number is higher than last year when we had 13,000 people
signed up," said Lu Hua, from the academy.
Screenwriting, film directing, art direction and animation have
all seen an increase in the number of candidates this year of about
45 percent, Lu said.
But the enthusiasm for the arts is a fairly recent
phenomenon.
In 2002, only 32,000 students signed up to sit entrance exams
for arts institutes in the eastern province of
Shandong, but the figure soared to 146,000 last year, the
Qingdao Daily reported.
BFA's Performance Institute plans to enroll only 30 students
this year, but more than 5,200 people are banging on the doors of
the cradle of Chinese film stars, according to Lu.
Many want their children to work as actors and become movie and
TV stars, according to Cui Xinqin, deputy director of the
Performance Institute.
"The increasing media coverage on the movie and TV sector
nowadays has enticed many parents and young people to have that
dream," Cui said. "The improved living conditions have also allowed
them to pay for courses and tap the talent."
But many candidates are sitting the entrance tests to pursue
their own dreams.
(China Daily February 11, 2006)