China, Russia hold cultural exchange event to mark WWII victory anniversary

A China-Russia people-to-people and cultural exchange event was held on Wednesday in Moscow to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1937-1945) and the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War against Nazi Germany (1941-1945).

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin extended their congratulations to the event separately, and their congratulatory messages were read out at the event, which was co-hosted by China Media Group and All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company.

The event gathered about 200 guests from political, economic, cultural, media, and educational sectors of both countries.

At the event, the production team of China-Russia co-produced spy thriller "Red Silk" shared their insights on its creation.

The film, released in Russia on Feb 20 this year and set to be released in China in September, tells the story of Chinese and Soviet revolutionaries working together to safely escort important secret documents in 1927.

The event also saw the launch of the 2025 China Film Festival in Russia, which will bring quality Chinese films, such as "My Country, My Parents," "Hidden Blade," and "I Am What I Am 2" to the Russian audience, allowing them to gain a deeper insight into the Chinese culture.

A multimedia project with the title "Imprint of Peace" was also launched at the event, encouraging people from both countries to contribute historical artifacts, documents, and images.

The "giant pandas living overseas" series event was also launched at the event.

A touching moment came when Maxim Kalman, grandson of Soviet photographer Roman Kalman, shared his family's stories in China. In 1938, Kalman captured powerful images of Chinese soldiers and Soviet pilots fighting side by side.

The event also marked the start of production for a documentary on Chinese people's war of resistance against Japanese aggression through Soviet photographers' lenses. The documentary will be jointly produced by the two countries.

At the event, the Russian side gifted China historical footage from its national archives documenting the Chinese people's resistance against Japanese aggression.

The event was concluded by the Alexandrov Red Banner Choir performing Chinese and Russian songs.

China, Russia hold cultural exchange event to mark WWII victory anniversary

China's movie industry is increasingly deriving its earnings from broader consumer economy.

Released during the 2025 summer season, the film "Nobody" became China's highest-grossing two-dimensional animated film -- and its success went beyond theaters.

Through licensing and brand partnerships, the movie has generated 2.5 billion yuan (about 358.3 million U.S. dollars) in retail sales to consumers, with more than 800 licensed products on the market.

Ranging from plush toys to food and home goods, the movie-related merchandise can be purchased from over 3,000 online and offline outlets.

Meanwhile, souvenir stores are crowded at Shanghai Disneyland's Zootopia themed land, with hats, plush toys, and collectibles seeing steady demand from visitors.

"China's film industry is no longer defined by box office revenue alone. It has become a new growth engine that links and energizes multiple cultural sectors. At the heart of every successful film is strong storytelling. High-quality productions create cultural value, which in turn enhances the commercial value of intellectual property and opens up new consumption opportunities. I believe China's film industry delivered an outstanding performance in the past year," said Chen Xiaoda, vice dean of Shanghai Vancouver Film School.

Film IP fuels expansion of consumer market