Exhibition showcases 120 years of Chinese cinema history

A special exhibition titled "Where Dreams Were Created" is drawing attention at the 27th Shanghai International Film Festival. Showcasing rare film artifacts and memorabilia, and the exhibition vividly traces the journey of Chinese cinema from its early days to the present.

As China celebrates 120 years since the birth of its film industry, the exhibition offers audiences a unique opportunity to explore the art, history, and cultural milestones of Chinese filmmaking.

In the "120 Years of Film History" section of exhibition, the development of Chinese cinema over the past 120 years is carefully traced through rare historical materials such as manuscripts, archival documents, and handwritten notes from filmmakers.

The exhibition features eight themed sections, covering a wide range of topics including film history, martial arts, animation, science fiction, cinematography, and virtual reality. Many of the rare items on display are being unveiled to the public for the first time.

In the Hong Kong cinema section, organizers have creatively designed the exhibition space to resemble a traditional Hong Kong-style tea restaurant. Clippings, film reels, photo albums, stills, and video footage—many of which are being exhibited on the Chinese mainland for the first time—add much to the nostalgic and immersive atmosphere.

"This section also reveals how, as directors and production companies, creators document their own journeys and view their works through the lens of personal expression. It's a powerful experience to see how their creative identities resonate with audiences and transform into remarkable influence and appreciation," said Xu Yi, curator of the exhibition.

A vintage television set at the exhibition plays restored footage from old videotapes, capturing behind-the-scenes moments of collaborations between Chinese filmmakers and their international counterparts in earlier years.

"Though what we see now is just a small videotape and a short segment of footage, it actually represents a significant milestone in the history of Chinese cinema—marking its important step onto the international stage," said Xu.

Exhibition showcases 120 years of Chinese cinema history

A Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman on Friday lashed out at Japan's latest sharp increase in defense budget and planned revision of defense equipment transfer principles to allow the export of lethal weapons, urging the country to make a clean break from militarism.

It was reported that the Japanese parliament has enacted a record-high budget for fiscal year 2026, featuring a defense expenditure of 9.04 trillion yen (about 58 billion U.S. dollars), exceeding 9 trillion yen for the first time. Reports also indicate that the Japanese government is planning a significant revision to the implementation guidelines of its "Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology," which will allow the export of lethal weapons.

Speaking at a press conference in Beijing, Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, the spokesman, said in response, "Various signs have shown that the Japanese right-wing forces are stepping up efforts to push the country's security policy to shift toward a more offensive and expansionist direction. Their acts gravely violate the [1943] Cairo Declaration, the [1945] Potsdam Proclamation, the [1945] Japanese Instrument of Surrender, and other instruments with legal effect under international law, gravely go against Japan's own Constitution and existing domestic norms, and pose a serious threat to the post-war international order and regional peace and stability."

"Japanese militarism once inflicted untold suffering on the region and beyond, yet there has never been a proper reckoning with it after World War II," Zhang said.

Now, the Japanese side has completely torn off its disguise and accelerated its pace of re-militarization, which cannot but arouse strong concern and condemnation from the rest of the world, the spokesman said.

"We urge the Japanese side to stop its retrogressive moves and make a clean break from militarism. Otherwise, it will lose the trust of its Asian neighbors and the rest of the international community," he said.

China urges Japan to break away from militarism