The 15th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) kicked off on Friday with organizers hoping to leverage the event to boost film consumption trends.
At the heart of the festival is the Tiantan Award, the official competition section of BJIFF. The award honors recent outstanding films and champions diversity in global cinema. This year, 15 full-length films are short-listed to compete in 10 categories, including Best Feature Film, Best Director, Best Leading Actor, Best Leading Actress, and Best Cinematography.
The 15 shortlisted movies consist of 3 Chinese films and 12 from abroad.
This year's jury committee for the awards is led by acclaimed Chinese director and actor Jiang Wen. He is joined by Chinese American director and actress Joan Chen, British director David Yates, Chinese actress Ni Ni, Finnish director Teemu Nikki, Swiss director-actor Vincent Perez and Hong Kong art director Tim Yip.
Additionally, the opening ceremony welcomed the launch of a campaign to further boost film consumption in the the country, building on a wildly successful year that saw blockbuster hits like Ne Zha 2 driving audiences to cinemas.
The campaign, dubbed the "Chinese Film Consumption Year", aims to take advantage of the BJIFF as Beijing creates film-related attractions that integrate culture, commerce, tourism and sports.
"Actively responding to the strategy of the 'Chinese Film Consumption Year', this year's Beijing International Film Festival innovatively launches the 'Beijing Film and Life Festival' to explore new areas and further tap into potential movie industry consumption," said Yu Junsheng, secretary-general of 15th Beijing International Film Festival's organizing committee.
Running from April 18 to 26, the 15th BJIFF presents over 300 films across 33 cinemas and one immersive venue in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei. The "Beijing Screening" section offers approximately 900 screenings, showcasing global masterpieces, restored classics and the works of emerging Chinese filmmakers.
Red carpet rolls out for 15th Beijing International Film Festival
Red carpet rolls out for 15th Beijing International Film Festival
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
