When Yi Xiao and partner Peng Xiao began to imagine their tiny cafe near Lama Temple, they pledged to abandon the formula that was so common to most of Wudaoying Hutong's coffee shops. Gone were the velvet, maroon sofas, the overpriced, subpar Western food and mangy cats. In their place came a neutral color palate dotted with cacti and candles, a handful of round, wooden tables, and a handwritten menu that doesn't wander beyond aromatic teas, coffee, and dainty desserts. And, of course, scratch the cats.

Chinese filmmaker Wu Tianming, known as the 'Godfather of the Fifth Generation' and former head of Xi'an Film Studios, passed away from a heart attack at his home in Beijing on March 4. Responsible for a variety of important films including King of Masks and Old Well, Wu also aided in developing many important filmmakers after the Cultural Revolution and the reopening of the Beijing Film Academy. Under his tutelage directors like Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige were able to prosper and influence the current cinematic environment and making China the second-largest film market in the world. Memorial services will be held in both Beijing and Xi'an.

At least some of the JUE Festival's opening weekend events in Beijing, scheduled to begin Friday, have been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. The Warm-up to JUE Market event will be rescheduled for March 22, organizers told the Beijinger.