Beijing film festival nominees named

The Beijing International Film Festival, one of China's top movie events, released a shortlist on Friday of 15 films contending for its highest honor, the Tiantan Award.

Hold Your Hands, an art house feature depicting villagers' efforts to escape poverty, and the Chinese Navy-themed action thriller Operation Red Sea are the two domestic nods, with the remaining 13 nominees, including coproductions, from 18 countries and regions.

The annual festival, in its eighth edition, will run from April 15-22.