The 2025 SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization) Film Festival, taking place in southwest China's Chongqing, is expected to provide extensive opportunities for collaboration among SCO nations in the field of film.
With the theme 'Technology and Film, Charm of the SCO,' the five-day film festival, which opened on Wednesday, highlights the latest advancements in film technology and production across the member states. The event also features forums on international cooperation, tech exhibitions, tourism initiatives, and drone light shows.
Other key attractions include screenings of dozens of outstanding films from SCO member countries, as well as the announcement of winners of the Jinshancha (Golden Camellia) Awards at the closing ceremony on Sunday.
The FilmMart, as a key component of the 2025 SCO Film Festival, serves as an international platform for film industry exhibition and collaboration. The event features a series of activities, including keynote speeches, a roundtable discussion on film internationalization, project roadshows for film technology, and technical presentations.
Film authorities and organizations from Belarus, Iran, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Russia, and other countries have brought culturally distinctive film projects, scripts, and copyright resources with strong cooperation potential, seeking in-depth collaboration with China and other SCO member states.
"We brought here five different movies to provide more information about culture, about our traditions, about our beautiful country," said a Belarusian exhibitor.
"We are looking forward to cooperating with all the SCO member countries, especially China. We have already signed MOUs (memorandums of understanding) in cinema production with China and Iran. We are looking forward to now executing and implementing those MOUs and collaborating and doing some co-productions," said Samina Farzin, director general of Pakistan's Electronic Media and Publications.
An exhibitor from Tajikistan expressed hope that the festival would foster greater international collaboration, particularly with China.
"New ones, which are made in Tajikistan. Now we show these films here. I think it's very interesting for other countries, especially for China. I hope this festival will support our cooperation in the film industry within our countries," said the exhibitor.
The closing and awards ceremony on Sunday will announce the winners in 10 categories, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Screenwriter, and the Special Jury Prize.
The festival is a key cultural exchange event aligned with the SCO Summit, aiming to further deepen regional cooperation and exchange in the film industry. This year, it is co-hosted by the China Film Administration and the Chongqing Municipal People's Government.
SCO Film Festival builds platform for in-depth cooperation
