More than 400 government officials and three generations of filmmakers gathered at the concert hall of Changchun Film Studio to celebrate the opening of the 2018 Changchun Film Festival on Sept 1.

The audience pays tribute to the filmmakers who dedicate their lives to China's film industry at the opening ceremony of the 14th Changchun Film Festival on Sept 1. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Three short videos, tracing back the history of film production in China, gave credit to the efforts made by the older generations have to the country's film industry.

Renowned actors and actresses, including Tian Hua, Chang Yan and Wang Zhebing, recalled memories of their bygone youth dedicated to Chinese films.

More than 400 government officials and filmmakers gather at the concert hall of Changchun Film Studio to celebrate the opening of the 2018 Changchun Film Festival on Sept 1. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

"Tonight I come back to the place where the dream started. Even after so many years, I can still feel the passion and vigor inside of me!" said Tian Hua. The 90-year-old actress once played the lead role in the film White-haired Girl produced by Changchun Film Studio in 1951, and won a golden medal for her performance in the film.

As one of the co-founders of the biennial festival, Changchun Film Studio blazed a trail in modern film-making in China by creating a large number of feature films that have left a lasting impression on the collective memory of Chinese people. It has also dubbed more than 2,400 foreign films, over 5,000 TV series and feature films from 50 countries and regions, including Private Aleksandr Matrosov, the first Soviet drama film to be dubbed and produced in modern China.

90-year-old actress Tian Hua recalls memories of her bygone youth dedicated to Chinese films. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]