The 5th Hong Kong Bauhinia International Film Festival (HKBIFF) kicked off in Beijing on Monday, aiming to support medium- to low-budget Chinese-language productions.
Organizing partners for the HKBIFF include the Hong Kong Bauhinia International Film Festival Association, the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society, and Film Journal International.
The festival, bringing together distinguished guests including film industry experts, prominent directors and actors, offers a platform for movie makers to energize the development of the Chinese-language film and television industry.
"This is a festival focused on medium- and low-budget films. I started my own career at CCTV-6 channel (the largest movie channel in China). Twenty years ago, our first project was what we called a 'TV film' -- essentially a low-budget production. Given the HKBIFF's open and inclusive vision, I didn't hesitate to participate," said Chinese movie director Gao Xixi, also the chairman of the organizing committee of the 5th HKBIFF.
During the event, Gao also outlined his upcoming projects for 2026.
"I am preparing to complete a historical drama set in the Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 220) -- 'Smoke and Fire of the Later Han' -- which tells the history from the late Han Dynasty through the Three Kingdoms period (220-280 AD) and up to the reunification under Jin Dynasty," he said.
Film festival focusing on low-budget productions opens in Beijing
The number of temporary accommodation registrations of foreign nationals in Shanghai hit a record high of 7.139 million in 2025, up 49.6 percent from the previous year, the Exit-Entry Administration Corps of the Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau said at a press briefing on Thursday.
The figure, which had already doubled in 2024, points to a continued rise in the number of foreign nationals visiting and staying in the city, highlighting the metropolis's growing appeal to international visitors.
Shanghai also issued more than 200,000 visas and residence permits to foreigners for the second consecutive year in 2025.
Long-term permits, including residence permits, accounted for a share 10 percentage points higher than the previous year, reflecting growing demand for extended stays.
Officials said the increase mirrors Shanghai's expanding openness and improving services for foreign visitors and residents.
"In 2025, Shanghai processed 7.139 million temporary accommodation registrations for foreigners. Following a doubling from the year before last, the figure rose by another 49.6 percent year on year, marking a historical high in the number of foreign nationals coming to Shanghai," said Song Weiqi, deputy head of the administration corps.
Accommodation registrations are required for foreigners staying in China. In 2025, 94.7 percent of temporary accommodation registrations were handled directly by hotels, resulting in a convenient check-in process.
Among foreigners residing in Shanghai's residential communities, 84.8 percent opted for online self-reporting via a multilingual platform that offers efficient, flexible registration.
Meanwhile, to ease the surge in passport applications for foreign travel ahead of the upcoming Chinese New Year holiday in mid-February, the administration corps announced plans to extend service hours for residents.
Shanghai hits a record-high 7.14 million expat accommodation registrations in 2025
