The "When Koala Meets Panda" 2024 China-Australia Short Video Contest recently concluded with the selection of the "Most Popular in China" Award. The winning video, "Strolling Sydney the Way Wes Anderson Does," created by contestant Ren Ziyuan, amassed a total of 1.17 million views across social media platforms, securing the final award.

The launch ceremony and sharing session for past contestants of the "When Koala Meets Panda" Contest.

The event was hosted by the Chinese Consulate-General in Brisbane and organized by People's Daily Australia. It has been held for eight consecutive years. The theme of the eighth edition of the contest was "Echoes of Time", inviting young people from China and Australia to shoot and produce short videos to review and showcase the friendship between the two countries.

Between Sept. 1 and Nov. 30, 2024, the contest received over 100 video submissions from across Australia. Reviewed by a professional judging panel consisting of well-known Australian TV presenters, producers and academics, 12 Outstanding Awards and four Individual Awards were selected in December 2024.

The judges praised the submissions for their creativity, with standout approaches in filming, editing, and storytelling. Some videos were noted for their professional editing techniques, while others highlighted meaningful content, celebrating the strong cultural ties between Australia and China.

Four Individual Award-winning works:

Best Story Award-"Echo of Time—Don't Look Back in Anger"

http://v.people.cn/n1/2024/1217/c239891-40384126.html

Best Editing Award-"Strolling Sydney the Way Wes Anderson Does"

http://v.people.cn/n1/2024/1217/c239891-40384125.html

Best Influence Award-"The Gears of Fate"

http://v.people.cn/n1/2024/1217/c239891-40384128.html

Best Cooperation Award—"Lucy's Inspirational Music Adventure for Koala Panda"

http://v.people.cn/n1/2024/1217/c239891-40384127.html

Judges conduct online voting for the Individual Award selection.

From Jan. 15 to Feb. 15, 2025, the contest opened the final phase of the "Most Popular in China" award selection. The four individual award-winning videos competed based on total views across multiple social media platforms. Ultimately, "Strolling Sydney the Way Wes Anderson Does" emerged victorious with 1.17 million views.

Ren Ziyuan, a Chinese university student on a short-term study visit to Sydney, used her humorous cinematography and unique editing style to capture the city's stunning landscapes and vibrant culture, offering audiences a fresh and engaging travel experience.

The winner of the "Most Popular in China" award will receive a certificate and trophy, along with an invitation for a week-long cultural journey in China. During the trip, the winner will create video content to introduce Chinese landscapes and cultural highlights to Australian audiences, fostering stronger cultural exchanges between China and Australia. The winners of the individual awards and outstanding awards will also receive corresponding certificates, trophies, and cash prizes.