The 14th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) wrapped up in Beijing on Friday night with the presentation of the festival's 10 prestigious Tiantan Awards.
This year, the Tiantan Award received 1,509 entries from 118 countries and regions, setting a record for participants. The submissions covered a wide range of genres and themes, demonstrating the global diversity of cinema.
The Chinese co-production "Gold or Shit" won the Best Feature Film award. This comedy film tells the story of a disillusioned young man in Beijing who faces setbacks in both work and relationships, which led to his return to his hometown in a state of despair. Not only does he need to re-establish intimacy with his family, but he also needs to explore more possibilities for his own future. After encountering numerous setbacks, he unexpectedly reunites with his high school classmate, which leads to unforeseen changes in his life.
Veteran actor Fan Wei won the Best Actor award for the Chinese movie "Strangers When We Meet". Mia Maelzer took the Best Actress award for the Indian film "Stolen". Indian director Karan Tejpal won the Tiantan Award for Best Director for "Stolen".
To mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France this year, a French film week was also held in Beijing from April 18 to 26. Multiple cinemas across Beijing screened 30 different French films, showcasing rich themes and diverse styles.
A variety of engaging activities were held, including discussions on topics such as the evolving role of domestic cinema productions at international festivals, and the global distribution of Chinese films. With guests from North America, Europe, South America and Japan, the event sparked insightful conversations and paved the way for Chinese cinema's global presence in today's dynamic and burgeoning industry landscape.
During this year's festival, more than 100 events were launched to attract the wide participation of the filmgoers. A film screening activity, named Beijing Film Panorama, screened over 240 domestic and foreign films and attracted about 180,000 audiences.
Curtain falls on 14th Beijing Int'l Film Festival as Tiantan Award winners announced
Curtain falls on 14th Beijing Int'l Film Festival as Tiantan Award winners announced
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Iran have agreed to continue cooperation and bridge differences within the framework of the relevant international agreements, according to President of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Mohammad Eslami on Tuesday.
Eslami made the statement at a joint press conference with Rafael Grossi, visiting director general of the IAEA, following their meeting earlier in the day in the central Iranian province of Isfahan.
Eslami said the IAEA should remain unaffected by external "political influence and pressures" and play a professional role.
In addition, on the sixth anniversary of the United States' withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Eslami once again emphasized Iran's position on the issue.
"Iran did not withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal. It was the U.S. that tore up the deal and failed to fulfill its responsibilities and did not allow other countries to cooperate on it," said Eslami.
Also speaking at the press conference, Grossi said that the IAEA has engaged in thorough and constructive discussions with Iran, charting a roadmap for future cooperation. Both sides will continue to collaborate and engage in dialogue, while earnestly addressing remaining differences, according to Grossi.
Grossi emphasized that the IAEA will fulfill its responsibilities to play a role in promoting the return of the nuclear deal to the right track.
"We need to work together in order to be in a better place, in order to put things back on track, in order to facilitate as well return to wider agreements in the form of the JCPOA or any other form that Iran may wish to agree," he said.
Grossi arrived in Iran on Monday to attend an international nuclear conference and meet a number of the country's high-ranking officials.
Iran signed the JCPOA with world powers in July 2015, accepting restrictions on its nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions. However, the United States withdrew from the agreement in May 2018, reinstating sanctions and prompting Iran to scale back some of its nuclear commitments.
Efforts to revive the JCPOA commenced in April 2021 in Vienna, Austria, but despite multiple rounds of negotiations, no substantial progress has been reported since the last talks in August 2022.
IAEA, Iran agree to continue cooperation, bridge differences
