In 1988, "Red Sorghum" grabbed global attention as it received the Golden Bear Award at the 38th Berlin Film Festival. It was the first time a Chinese film walked away with the grand prize at one of the world's most renowned film festivals.

Based on the eponymous novel by Chinese Nobel laureate Mo Yan, the film focuses on the life of Jiu'er, a young woman who runs a sorghum winery along with the movie's another protagonist, Yu Zhan'ao. 

Produced by Xi'an Film Studio, it signified the start of the directorial career of Zhang Yimou. "Red Sorghum" also marked the debut of world-renowned actress Gong Li, paving way for Chinese filmmakers to truly ascend to the global stage.

In the following year, "A City of Sadness" directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien clinched the Golden Lion award at the Venice Film Festival. 

Directed by Chen Kaige, "Farewell My Concubine" won the 1993 Golden Palm Award, the highest honor at the Cannes Film Festival. It's still the only Chinese film to ever win the award.

Starring Leslie Cheung, Gong Li and Zhang Fengyi, "Farewell My Concubine" is set in the early 20th-century China, when two boys meet at an opera training school in Beijing. They subsequently build a lifelong friendship, and the film takes in such themes as friendship, love, dreams, and some of the pressing social issues of the times.

Chinese cinema enjoyed another uptick in 2000. 

The martial arts hit "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" came under the spotlight as it pocketed four awards out of 10 nominations at the 73rd Academy Awards. It was also the first Chinese-language picture to grab the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

Directed by Ang Lee, it was adapted from the Chinese novel of the same name by Wang Dulu, who wrote it in the 1940s. Starring Chow Yun Fat, Michelle Yeoh and Zhang Ziyi, this martial arts adventure film set in ancient China has played a significant role in promoting Chinese culture to audiences around the world.

Film fans can now enjoy many masterpieces highlighting the creativity of Chinese filmmakers and the distinct development of China's film industry, both at the Beijing International Film Festival and beyond.