Silk Road film festival fosters cultural exchanges among BRI countries

The ongoing 11th Silk Road International Film Festival has been fostering cultural exchanges among nations along the Belt and Road, providing insights into the customs, traditions and culture of these countries.

This year's festival opened on Saturday in Xi'an City of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, the eastern starting point of the ancient Silk Road.

The festival will last till Sept. 25, featuring over 100 outstanding domestic and international films.

This year's "Golden Silk Road Award" has received applications from over 2,065 films from 136 countries and regions, setting a new record.

"It is a valuable experience, given the quality of the films and the ticket price. Many classic films are available for everyone to enjoy once more, which I find particularly wonderful," said a moviegoer.

"One of the key highlights of the Silk Road film festival is the showcase of films from countries along the Silk Road. Since its inception till now, over 500 films have been screened, providing insights into the customs, traditions, history, and culture of these nations, while deepening interactions in the spirit of the Silk Road," said Li Xin, head of the screening group of this year’s festival.

The Silk Road International Film Festival, founded in 2014, is alternately hosted by Xi'an City and Fuzhou City in east China's Fujian Province.

Over the past eleven years, cultural officials and film industry professionals from more than 50 countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, including Russia, India, France, and Italy, have participated in the festival.

"Through platforms such as (the film festival), we have collaborated on a series of films, including the story of 'Hui He, the Soprano from the Silk Road' that we co-produced with Italy in the early stage, 'The Story of Zhen and Berenice' created in partnership with France, and 'The Tale of Pomegranate' with Iran, all enabling us to share our Chinese story by a global language on an international stage," said Duan Peng, deputy head of Shaanxi Film Industry Association.

Silk Road film festival fosters cultural exchanges among BRI countries

The 2024 Yangtze River Culture Festival commenced on Saturday in Zhangjiagang City of east China's Jiangsu Province, featuring a variety of cultural events that delve into the river's rich cultural heritage and its profound influence on the culture, economy, and environment of surrounding regions.

People from 13 provinces, regions, and municipalities along the Yangtze River have gathered at the grand event to jointly explore the rich cultural heritage and contemporary significance of China's longest river, fostering regional integration and promoting mutual learning.

Themed "Integration, Promotion, and Sharing," this year's festival focuses on five main topics, namely cultural relics, intangible cultural heritage, artistic charm, travel, and openness.

The festival features 14 events to enhance cooperation from the source to the mouth of the Yangtze River.

"In the process of heritage conservation, we emphasize the protection of the heritage itself along with the restoration of its surrounding environment, gradually transforming this heritage into cultural landscapes, which is crucial for us today," said Zhang Hongyan, a professor at Nanjing University.

One of the highlights of this year's festival is the 2024 International Humor Art Week, featuring performers who entertain with acts such as crosstalk comedy.

The "Guardians of the Yangtze" Intangible Cultural Heritage and Folklore Fair, held from Saturday to Monday, is also a must-see event.

Nearly 100 'market-goers,' including numerous intangible cultural heritage craftsmen, are showcasing top-notch artifacts and delicacies, fostering a lively cultural and tourism atmosphere that blends exhibitions, performances, and entertainment.

The festival is set to run through November.

2024 Yangtze River Culture Festival kicks off in east China city