On July 25, the 21st Beijing International Sports Film Week held its Outstanding Works Release under the theme “Olympic Stories in Motion” at Beijing Olympic Tower. Han Zirong, Executive Vice President of the Beijing Olympic City Development Association, and Jiang Xiaoyu, Chair of the Beijing International Sports Film Week Jury, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches. Franco Ascani, member of IOC Commission for Culture and Olympic Heritage and President of the Milano International FICTS Fest, sent a video greeting. Also present at the opening ceremony were: Chang Lin, Level II Bureau Rank Official, Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism; Li Huajun, Level II Bureau Rank Official, Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sports; Xia Rihong, Deputy Secretary-General of the Beijing Olympic City Promotion Association and Deputy Director of the Beijing Olympic City Development Center; Wang Xiangping, Vice Chairman of the Beijing Disabled Persons’ Federation; Ma Hong, Party Committee Member and Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Beijing Radio & Television Station; Dong Jian, Party Working Committee Secretary and Director of the Administrative Committee of the Beijing Olympic Sports Center Area; Zhu Qinxiao, Deputy General Manager of the Central Newsreel & Documentary Film Studio; and Wei Dengfan, Secretary-General of the Beijing Olympic City Development Foundation.

　　

Photographs of the event

In his opening address, Han Zirong stated that the Beijing International Sports Film Week is committed not only to promoting the spirit of the Beijing 2008 and Beijing 2022 Olympics, but also to positioning itself at the forefront of the international sports film stage, thereby pioneering new channels for the global dissemination of Chinese sports film works. Going forward, the Beijing International Sports Film Week will fully harness the comprehensive value and multifaceted functions of sports in the process of building a socialist modern country. It will continue to make new efforts in enriching the cultural life of the people, promoting sustainable inheritance of the dual-Olympic legacy, telling China’s sports stories well, enhancing China-foreign sports cultural exchanges, and supporting the development of China as a leading sports nation.

　　

Han Zirong delivering the speech

In his video address, Franco Ascani extended greetings and, on behalf of the 130 member countries of the FICTS network, congratulated the Beijing International Sports Film Week on its successful convening. He said he looks forward to seeing the works selected by the Beijing International Sports Film Week showcased at October’s global finals in Milan, and expressed his willingness to deepen cooperation with Chinese partners during the Milan 2026 Winter Olympic Games. He hoped that Chinese visual storytelling could continue to shine on the world stage, portray Chinese sports with grace and convey compelling Chinese sports narratives.

　　

Ascani delivering the speech

The event began in a moving way, with the Olympic Home Choir performing the Greek melody of the Olympic Song, which evoked resonance among the participants for the Olympic spirit.

　　

Olympic Home Choir performing

At the awards release, outstanding works from various competition categories and the Media’s Choice Award winners were unveiled in sequence. Dong Jian and Zhang Zhihua, Deputy Director of the Physical Education, Health, and Arts Division of the Beijing Municipal Education Commission; Professor and doctoral supervisor Wu Guanping, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Beijing Film Academy; presented honors to Student Works category winners: Life’s Riding Journey, Runway at Dawn, The Ever-Young Warrior, Five Rings in a Space: Olympic Memories through Badge Exchange.

　　

Presenting Awards in the Outstanding Student Works Category

Li Huajun and Wang Yong, Senior Reporter of Xinhua News Agency and Vice Chairman of the Beijing Branch Union, awarded the honor to the Media’s Choice Award winner Running Life: Commemorating Olympic Champion Li Airui’s 100th Anniversary of Winning in Paris.

　　

Presenting Media’s Choice Awards

Mao Hongwei, Third-Level Researcher in the Publicity Management Department of the Beijing Municipal Radio & Television Bureau, and Chen Liang, Director of the Film & Television Art Creation Center at Qingdao Film Academy, presented honors to the winners in the TV & New Media category: From Zero to Ironman World Championship and The Badge of Growth.

　　

Presenting Awards in the TV & New Media Category

Wang Zhu, former Deputy Director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and former member of the Beijing Film & Television Review Committee, and Dong Liya, Deputy General Manager of Beijing Olympic Forest Park Development & Operation Co., Ltd., presented honors to the winners in the Winter Sports category: Thirty Years of Hot Snow in China and Ice Moments.

　　

Presenting Awards in the Winter Sports Category

Wang Xiangping, together with Yu Nan, Manager of the Culture & Sports Industry Department of Beijing State-owned Assets Management Co., Ltd., and Shan Wanli, Researcher at the China Film Art Research Center, awarded honors to the winners in the Sports & Society / Sports & the Paralympic Movement category: Sports Zero Distance - A Captain, Muscle Grandpas, Water and Fire in Harmony - The Romance and Reality of the Paris Olympics.

　　

Presenting Awards in the Sports & Society / Sports & the Paralympic Movement Category

Chang Lin and Zhao Dongming, former Party Secretary and Director of the Beijing Municipal Radio & Television Bureau and former Director of the Cultural Activities Department of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games, presented honors to the winner in the Feature Film category: One and Only.

　　

Presenting Awards in the Feature Film Category

Ma Hong and director Gu Yun presented honors to the documentary category winners Tide • Leap and Hong Kong Four Paths Surge Forward.

　　

Presenting Awards in the Documentary Category

Zhu Qinxiao, Wei Dengfan, and Yue Hongyan, Director of the Sports Culture Division of the News, Publicity & Cultural Heritage Department of the Chinese Olympic Committee, presented honors for the Olympic Games & Olympic Spirit category: Ode to Chinese Sporting Spirit, The Road to Paris, Running Life: Commemorating Olympic Champion Li Airui’s 100th Anniversary of Winning in Paris, Antelope of the Plateau - The Dream-Chasing Journey of China’s First Tibetan Olympic Champion Qieyang Shijie.

　　

Presenting Awards in the Olympic Games & Olympic Spirit Category

That same day, Hi, Asian Games - She and Invisible Summit also received their special moments. These two films, having been submitted by the 20th Beijing International Sports Film Week, won the Guirlande d’Honneur in “Olympic and Paralympic Spirit-Olympic Storytellers” section at the 42nd Milano International FICTS Fest. Jiang Xiaoyu presented their honors.

　　

Jiang Xiaoyu presented honors to the Guirlande d’Honneur awardees at the 42nd Milano International FICTS Fest

Sport is humanity’s common language, and film is the bond of emotional transmission. Although the Release Event for outstanding works of the 21st Beijing International Sports Film Week has concluded, “Olympic Stories in Motion” continues to unfold. It converges hearts, transcends screens, travels across the world, and injects a continuous stream of visual energy into the international dissemination of the Olympic spirit and Chinese sporting spirit. On the day of the event, posters of all outstanding works that passed the preliminary review in this edition, as well as the posters of works nominated or awarded at the 42nd Milano International FICTS Fest, were exhibited on site. Also on display were the Beijing International Sports Film Week “20-Year Retrospective Exhibition” and the “Outstanding Works Poster Exhibition”. They showcased the ever-advancing momentum of sports film in the interplay of light and shadow.

　　

At the poster exhibition venue

　　

At the poster exhibition venue

The Beijing International Sports Film Week was founded in 2005. It is an international sports film & television exchange and exhibition event held in Beijing during and continuing since the 2008 Olympic Games. The 21st Beijing International Sports Film Week is co-hosted by the Beijing International Film Festival Organizing Committee, the Chinese Olympic Committee, and the Beijing Olympic City Development Association. Since the launch of the call for submissions, a total of 211 valid entries were received. After careful selection, 32 works advanced to the final evaluation stage. Ultimately, 18 works were released at the July 25 Outstanding Works Release, and 10 outstanding works will be recommended to compete in the global finals of the 43rd Milano International FICTS Fest to be held in Milan in October, vying for the Guirlande d’Honneur.

Leaders and guests from the Zhangjiakou Olympic City Development Promotion Center, Beijing Olympic Museum, Beijing State-Owned Assets Operation Co., Ltd., and other relevant organizations, along with jury members of the Beijing International Sports Film Week, representatives of the outstanding works teams, representatives of the Olympic family, and media representatives - about 200 people in total - attended the opening ceremony.