Silk Road Int'l Film Festival: 565 movies from 68 countries and regions screened

World
Europe

02:39

The fifth anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative coincides with the film festival of the same. The 2018 Silk Road Film Festival honors China Western Film Group's many hits, as well as international box office successes. CGTN's Liu Yang reports from Xi'an, where the festival is taking place.

Filmmakers, judges and movie stars walk down the red carpet, kicking off the 2018 Silk Road International Film Festival.

The opening ceremony highlighted the uniquely historic and regional culture of Xi'an as well as some classic Chinese films and TV series.

With the theme of "New Era, New Silk Road and New Vision", a total of 565 movies from 68 countries and regions will compete for this year's Golden Silk Road Media Awards and Trophies. For the first time, Kazakhstan, Romania and France are the main guest countries.

XIE FEI DIRECTOR "Since the 1930's, many film festivals have been held around the world. This one introduces the history, culture and people of the countries involved in the Silk Road."

Directors say they'll use the festival to introduce non-commercial, non-mainstream films to audiences worldwide. This year, 137 Chinese and foreign films will be on in the exhibition unit, covering 14 sections of thematic films, such as the Silk Road Premiere.

MARIAM KHATCHVANI MEDIA HONOR INTERNATIONAL JUROR, GEORGIA "When I got the invitation from Xi'an, I was thrilled to come back to China. I love Chinese culture, and people are very friendly. I am pleased to have a chance to be a judge at this event."

Festival-goers can partake in as many as eight international film forums. They'll cover documentary creation, Film IP, science fiction and much more.

LIU YANG XI'AN "Experts say the Silk Road International Film Festival will use movies as a medium. They will build a cultural bridge connecting countries along the Silk Road, promote cultural exchange, and increase cultural recognition, to boost Belt and Road construction."

As the origin of the ancient Silk Road, the city of Xi'an is part of a revival of the rich Silk Road culture. As Chinese films have spanned over 100 years, the future of Chinese will largely entail the recreation of the Silk Road. Liu Yang, CGTN, Xi'an.