The 27th Shanghai International Film Festival's Belt and Road Film Week is showcasing 15 carefully curated films from partner nations, promoting cultural exchanges with films as a link, festival organizers said.
With the theme of "Travel with Films," this year's event, which kicked off on Wednesday, features parallel screenings in five Yangtze River Delta cities - Nanjing, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Ningbo and Hefei.
Chen Guo, managing director of the Shanghai International Film and TV Events Center, highlighted the initiative's global reach.
"Through our Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance network, we've successfully introduced 58 Chinese productions to international audiences, significantly expanding overseas exposure for China's film industry," she said.
Marco Muller, Italian artistic director of Shanghai University's Film Art Research Center, underlined the growing international demand for Chinese films.
"At the very least, there are over 300 film festivals across Belt and Road (co-building) countries. I often receive emails or messages from them expressing strong interest in screening more Chinese films and eagerly hoping for Chinese productions to participate in their local festivals," Muller said.
Wang Hanjing of the Shanghai Animation Industry Association stressed the cultural dimension, saying "We can bring more Chinese cultural contents to the international stage, allowing judges and audiences on these global platforms to pay greater attention to our content."
This year's edition brings together more than 40 prominent filmmakers from over 20 countries. Through structured work meetings and roundtable discussions, participants explore critical industry themes including collaborative film production opportunities, strategies for international distribution and promotion and development programs for emerging cinematic talent.
Since its inception in 2018, the Belt and Road Film Week has evolved into a cornerstone of international film cooperation, fostering cultural dialogue between China and participating nations while offering global audiences a window into diverse cinematic traditions.
The Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance has seen remarkable growth, expanding from its original 31 institutions across 29 countries to 55 member organizations spanning 48 nations today. This expanding network continues to facilitate meaningful artistic exchanges and co-production opportunities along the Belt and Road.
Shanghai Int'l Film Festival launches Belt and Road Film Week to fosters cinematic cultural exchanges
Shanghai Int'l Film Festival launches Belt and Road Film Week to fosters cinematic cultural exchanges
