The Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance, launched by the Organizing Committee of the Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) in June 2018, has grown from 31 film institutions in 29 countries to 55 institutions in 48 countries, establishing itself as a key platform for cultural exchanges.

Representatives from the film industries of different countries along the Belt and Road pose for a group photo at a press conference for the Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance during the 26th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) in Shanghai, June 16, 2024. [Photo courtesy of the SIFF Organizing Committee]

Film plays a crucial role in cultural exchanges along the Belt and Road, said Huang Qunfei, deputy general manager of Huaxia Film Distribution Co. Ltd., at a press conference in Shanghai on June 16.

"This effort aims to contribute jointly to the high-quality development of the Belt and Road film industry," Huang said. "In the future, we will deepen mutual learning between films and visits by filmmakers, promote beneficial cooperation across film production, distribution, and screening, enhance international talent development, and continue to work on the innovation and application of film technology."

Guillermo Olivares, program planner of the Valdivia International Film Festival in Chile, noted that the alliance "holds tremendous potential to generate and disseminate creative energy in cinemas worldwide, promoting collaboration and creating hotspots for cultural exchange-centered, more diverse film creation, production and distribution."

Since this year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Hungary, the SIFF will collaborate with the 20th Miskolc International Film Festival in September to organize a "Focus on China" screening unit.

The associated Belt and Road Film Week, held during the SIFF, featured 18 selected films from over 100 entries, screened across 65 showings. Of these 18 films, eight were chosen by professional selectors as finalists to compete for awards.

(From left to right) Chinese actor Da Peng, Wu Jincheng, district mayor of Pudong New Area in Shanghai, Pan Min, director of the Office of the Shanghai Municipal Commission for Guiding Cultural and Ethical Progress, and actress Yao Chen launch the exhibition tour for films from the Belt and Road Film Week selection at the closing ceremony of the Belt and Road Film Week in Shanghai, June 18, 2024. [Photo courtesy of the SIFF Organizing Committee]

On the closing night of the film week on June 18, director Eva Nathena of the Greek film "Murderess" won best director, and Mongolian actress Battsooj Uurtsaikh from "If Only I Could Hibernate" won best actor in the media choice award for filmmaker category. The Chilean film "The Settlers" received the media choice award for film, while "The Midsummer's Voice" by Chinese director Zhang Yudi won the audience choice award.

Chinese director and actor Da Peng and actress and producer Yao Chen were named ambassadors for the Belt and Road Film Week. They announced at the closing ceremony that selected films from the event will be showcased in additional cities and member states in the coming months.

During the film week, over 40 international filmmakers from 18 countries and regions along the Belt and Road, along with representatives from more than 20 Chinese and foreign film institutions, gathered in Shanghai's Pudong New Area for extensive exchanges. The event also included various cultural activities, such as a lively Latin American fiesta, allowing visitors to experience the diverse cultures of Belt and Road countries.

Dancers perform at a Latin American fiesta during the Belt and Road Film Week in Shanghai. [Photo courtesy of the SIFF Organizing Committee]

Sun Yu, deputy director of the Administrative Committee of the Shanghai International Resort in Pudong, announced that due to the Belt and Road Film Week's ongoing growth and support, over 150 businesses in the cultural and creative industries have established themselves at the resort. These businesses cover areas like film and television post-production, filming, and distribution, creating a more complete and diverse industry.

Zhang Yudi appreciated that the film week selected many films she had never seen and some are from countries she might never visit. "But film gives me a window to understand them. This might also be the charm of film itself; it is a bridge for communication, a language everyone can understand," she said.

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