Beijing Film Panorama to screen 260 Chinese, international films

The "Beijing Film Panorama", a flagship segment of the 16th Beijing International Film Festival, opened on Thursday in Beijing, offering audiences a diverse lineup of nearly 260 outstanding Chinese and international films.

This year’s selection includes titles nominated for the festival’s Tiantan Award, such as All The Good Eyes and At Work. About 800 screenings will be held at major commercial cinemas, art houses, and theaters across the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region in north China.

The panorama, which will run through April 26, features 18 screening units, including a Master Retrospective section, with many films being shown for the first time to Chinese audiences. Restored Chinese classics will return to the big screen, alongside 4K drama films such as Beneath the Red Banner and Zhang Juzheng, offering an immersive theatrical experience. Outdoor screenings will also be held in various commercial districts across Beijing.

"I've brought some of my printed ticket stubs and some merchandise I made myself. These are related to the films to be screened this year. I would like to exchange these items on site," said Yao Shuai, a filmgoer at the China Film Archive.

"The most important goal of the Beijing Film Panorama is to foster a strong cinema culture and a culture of classic films. That’s why we’ve placed greater emphasis on classic films in our selection. Audiences have shown a real interest in high-format, high-concept content -- many of those screenings sold out immediately. Overall, we're seeing more ticket buyers in their 30s and 40s, and the number of younger viewers is also growing," said Lin Siwei, deputy director of the China Film Archive.

Running from Thursday to April 25, this year's film festival will feature 10 major sections, including film screenings, industry forums, and the Tiantan Award competition, which aims to encourage diversity in global filmmaking.

Beijing Film Panorama to screen 260 Chinese, international films

The China-Laos Railway has become a major transport artery in Southeast Asia, cutting freight times, expanding passenger flows and linking regional economies.

The China-Laos Railway, a landmark project of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, began operations in December 2021. The 1,035-kilometer railway connects Kunming, the capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, with Vientiane, the capital of Laos.

It has significantly enhanced regional connectivity, boosted regional economic growth, and facilitated people-to-people and cultural exchanges.

Passengers can now travel by rail all the way from Thailand to China, a journey that would have been difficult to imagine just a few years ago.

"I traveled up from Bangkok last night on the overnight train, and now I'm traveling up to Luang Prabang and then on to Kunming to explore Yunnan province. It's really easy to use the app and to book the trains, so so far so good. Everything seems to be working out," said an Australian passenger.

Jie Sen, a passenger service staff at Vientiane Railway Station, said the railway has become an important channel for cross-border travel.

"Passengers from more than 120 countries and regions have traveled on the railway. International trains between China and Laos now run four times a day, with the fastest trip from Kunming South to Vientiane taking just 9 hours and 36 minutes," he said.

"In terms of freight transport, cross-border shipping time has been reduced from five to seven days by road to just one to two days by rail. More than 3,800 categories of goods are now transported via the railway. Its logistics network reaches 19 countries and regions, including Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore," said He Xuqiang, head of Vientiane Railway Station.

China-Laos Railway becomes key regional transportation corridor