On the evening of April 16, the 16th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) opened at the Yanqi Lake International Convention and Exhibition Center under the theme “Tiantan Glows, Hundred Flowers Bloom, Beijing Shines in Every Frame”. Film professionals from around the world gathered once again for exchanges about cinema and the times. Yin Li, Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee; Zhang Zheng, Secretary of the Leading Party Members Group and Vice President of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles; Zhang Hongsen, Secretary of the Leading Party Members Group and Chairman of the China Writers Association, attended the opening ceremony.

Yu Junsheng, Vice President of China Media Group, said in his remarks that this year, the BJIFF and the Hundred Flowers Awards will come together in Beijing, making it the first city in China to host two major film events in the same year. With its profound cultural heritage, contemporary dynamism, and open international vision, Beijing unfolds like a three-dimensional, flowing motion picture, showcasing its unique charm and epitomizing the flourishing development of the Chinese film industry. China Media Group stands ready to work with colleagues across the film and television industry to explore new paths of integrated development and open up new space for growth. Together, we will tell China’s stories and shared narratives of humanity in a more engaging way, and turn the value of the film industry into an important engine for boosting consumption and driving industrial upgrading. We hope to promote deeper understanding, stronger friendship, and greater exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, as people around the world greet a promising spring for the film industry.

Sun Junmin, Member of the Standing Committee and Head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, delivered a speech and declared the event open. She noted that China’s film market has continued to flourish and achieved fruitful results over the past year. As the national cultural center, Beijing has always stood at the forefront and led new trends, enriching people’s spiritual life, invigorating the city, and promoting exchanges and mutual learning through films. With film as a bond, Beijing has told China’s stories and Beijing’s stories well. This year marks the beginning of the 15th Five-Year Plan. The city will thoroughly study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, prioritize the building of an international hub for film and television as an important part of developing Beijing into the national cultural center, continue to optimize the environment for film creation, actively promote innovative development in the film industry, and expand cross-sector integration under the “Film Plus” model. Together with film professionals, we will compose a vivid chapter of high-quality film development in the new era. In this beautiful spring season, we sincerely invite friends from near and far to visit Beijing and join us for a cinematic rendezvous.

Members of the Tiantan Award International Jury Committee

Over the past 16 years, the BJIFF has evolved into a major platform to showcase the charm of Chinese cinema and promoting exchanges between Chinese and international film communities. This year’s BJIFF will feature a wide range of events, including the competition for the Tiantan Award, the festival’s main competition section; Beijing Film Panorama; BJIFF Core Forums; Beijing Film Market; Film Carnival; The 33rd College Student Film Festival; Closing & Awards Ceremony; “Film+”; and Beijing Film & Life Festival. To further expand its impact and coverage, this year’s BJIFF introduces “Super Live Spots” in several major commercial areas for the first time, enabling residents to experience festival highlights in real time. A host of supporting events will run concurrently, including “Taste Delicacies Through Movies”, “Follow the Movies to Travel”, “Follow the Film to the Market”, “Follow the Movies to Enjoy Flowers and Explore Gardens”, “Spring Subsidized Movie-Going Event”, and celebrity pop-up events designed to fuel citywide participation.

Also in attendance were Chen Xu, President of the China Public Diplomacy Association; Beijing municipal leaders Zhao Lei and Sima Hong; and Mao Yu, Deputy Director of the China Film Administration of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee in charge of daily work.