Beijing promotes film festival to overseas markets in Cannes

The annual Beijing International Film Festival held a promotional event during the ongoing 78th Cannes Film Festival aimed at expanding the overseas influence of Chinese films.

The event was held on May 15 and attended by many in the film industry, including director Long Fei and actress Yue Hong, whose film Gold or Shit won three Tiantan awards of the 14th Beijing festival — best picture, best screenplay and best supporting actress.

Yu Junsheng, vice-chairman of the organizing committee of the Beijing International Film Festival, said that the 15th edition featured 1,794 films from 103 countries and regions, with foreign titles comprising nearly 90 percent of the films competing for the prestigious Tiantan Awards.

The International Lounge, the festival's market sector, gathered over 300 companies to host over 250 negotiation meetings from countries such as France, Singapore and the United Kingdom. The event attracted over 65.31 million visitors to Beijing, with ticket sales driving comprehensive consumption, including merchandise and snacks, surpassing 24 billion yuan ($3.32 billion).

Director Long believes that cinema is a universal language that transcends borders and races. Actress Yue voiced her hope that Chinese films could act as a bridge to enhance cultural exchanges and resonate with a broader audience.