The 16th Beijing International Film Festival Concludes Successfully: Cinematic Brilliance Shines Over Beijing as We Embark on a New Era of Global Cinema
Amidst the gentle spring breezes of April in Beijing, the brilliance of the silver screen illuminated the shores of Yanqi Lake. On April 25, the Closing & Awards Ceremony of the 16th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) reached a grand conclusion at the Yanqi Lake International Convention & Exhibition Center in Huairou District, Beijing. During this ten-day cinematic extravaganza, filmmakers from home and abroad crossed mountains and seas to gather here. Using the screen as a bridge, they shared their creative passion and insights, employing the camera lens to measure the breadth of the world and the depth of human emotion. The ten prestigious Tiantan Awards were unveiled one by one, bringing this springtime celebration of cinema to a magnificent close.
The opening short film, Spring Reunion at BJIFF, condensed the cinematic memories of the past ten days onto the screen. Following this, pianist Lang Lang and singer Lars Huang joined a fan choir for the musical performance Cinematic Rhapsody, igniting the audience's passion with its powerful rhythm. In a solemn ceremony, actress Liu Shishi graced the stage as the "Tiantan Goddess", escorting the Tiantan Award trophy and setting an elegant tone for the evening's grand festivities.
Lang Lang
Lars Huang
Liu Shishi, the Tiantan Goddess
Distinguished Guests Gather to Build a Hall of Honor
Over its sixteen-year journey, the BJIFF has embraced the world with an open mind, carving an increasingly distinct Chinese coordinate on the map of global cinematic exchange. As the Competition Section, the "Tiantan Award" embodies cutting-edge observations of diverse cultural forms and cinematic aesthetics, reflecting the BJIFF's vision and ambition as it moves toward an even broader international stage.
This year's festival attracted a total of 1,826 film submissions from 139 countries and regions. Among them, 1,607 were international films, accounting for 88% of the total, setting new historical records for both the number of participating countries and international entries. The sixteen shortlisted films, featuring diverse themes and distinct styles, collectively laid out a delicate yet expansive map of contemporary global cinema, carrying the unique expressions and shared emotions of creators from various cultural backgrounds.
On the closing night, the entire international jury of this year's "Tiantan Award" took to the stage. Led by the Jury President and internationally acclaimed actress Juliette Binoche, the seven jury members - Chinese director Bi Gan, French-Vietnamese director Tran Anh Hung, Brazilian director Gabriel Mascaro, British composer Simon Franglen, Chinese actress Zhang Xiaofei, and Chinese actor Zhang Yi - appeared together to meet the audience.
The International Jury of the 16th BJIFF Tiantan Award
This served as both an annotation of the professional standards of this year's festival and a vivid portrayal of Chinese and foreign filmmakers collectively upholding their cinematic ideals. Subsequently, a retrospective montage of the shortlisted films unfolded slowly on the big screen, with images of diverse aesthetic qualities intertwining to form a cross-border cinematic scroll.
Moment of Glory: Awards Unveiled One After Another
The awards presentation commenced amidst the bated breath of the entire audience, as esteemed guests from the Chinese and international film industries took to the stage together to unveil the winners of each category.
Composer Simon Franglen and pianist Lang Lang were the first to present the award for Best Music, which went to Sten Sheripov for his score in the film Supporting Role.
Presenters for Best Music: Simon Franglen and Lang Lang
Sten Sheripov Wins Best Music for Supporting Role
The Award for Best Cinematography followed, with director Bi Gan and actress Tan Zhuo presenting the honor to Zhou Cong for his work on the film Embers.
Presenters for Best Cinematography: Bi Gan and Tan Zhuo
Embers Wins Best Cinematography
Actress Cecilia Yip and singer Chris Lee (Li Yuchun) took to the stage to present the Best Supporting Actress award to Madalena Cunha for her performance in Justa.
Presenters for Best Supporting Actress: Cecilia Yip and Chris Lee
Madalena Cunha Wins Best Supporting Actress for Justa
Actor Zhu Shimao and Actress Cong Shan presented the award for Best Supporting Actor, which went to Qiao Shan for his performance in All The Good Eyes.
Presenters for Best Supporting Actor: Zhu Shimao and Cong Shan
Qiao Shan Wins Best Supporting Actor for All The Good Eyes
The Best Actress award was jointly presented by actresses Zhang Xiaofei and Wu Yanshu, with Andrea Riseborough and Brenda Blethyn sharing the honor for their performances in Dragonfly.
Presenters for Best Actress: Zhang Xiaofei and Wu Yanshu
Andrea Riseborough and Brenda Blethyn
Win Best Actress for Dragonfly
Actors Zhang Yi and Duan Yihong joined forces to announce the Best Actor award, which was presented to Yu Hewei for his performance in All The Good Eyes.
Presenters for Best Actor: Zhang Yi and Duan Yihong
Yu Hewei Wins Best Actor for All The Good Eyes
Performance artists Zhu Lin, Shen Danping, and Lin Fangbing made an elegant appearance to jointly present the Best Artistic Contribution award to the film Justa.
Presenters for Best Artistic Contribution:
Zhu Lin, Shen Danping, and Lin Fangbing
Justa Wins Best Artistic Contribution
Brazilian director Gabriel Mascaro and British screenwriter/director Richard Curtis teamed up to present the Best Screenplay award, which went to Dragonfly.
Presenters for Best Screenplay:
Gabriel Mascaro and Richard Curtis
Dragonfly Wins Best Screenplay
French-Vietnamese director Tran Anh Hung and Chinese director Cai Shangjun took to the stage together to present the Best Director award, which went to the film Our Girls.
Presenters for Best Director: Tran Anh Hung and Cai Shangjun
Our Girls Wins Best Director
Finally, the most anticipated Best Feature Film award was presented jointly by Jury President Juliette Binoche and director Zhang Yimou, marking the definitive conclusion of this year's "Tiantan Award" competition. The top honor went to Dragonfly.
Presenters for Best Feature Film:
Juliette Binoche and Zhang Yimou
Dragonfly Wins Best Feature Film
Tribute to Predecessors and Behind-the-Scenes Heroes: The Spirit of Martial Arts Endures as Hearts Remain Young
The closing ceremony featured a special tribute segment titled Beyond the Lens, Inside the Credits, turning the spotlight on those film professionals who remain hidden behind the screen year after year, upholding cinematic dreams with their hard work and craftsmanship. The audience extended their respects to still photographer Fu Jun, animal trainer Hao Shuai, art director Lin Mu, action director Bruce Law (Luo Lixian), key production grip Xu Xiaoshun, edit director Zhu Lin, and physical effects supervisor Zhang Tao. They represent the thousands of film professionals who pour their sweat and dedication into their work behind the scenes. It is these ordinary yet extraordinary figures who build the most solid foundation for Chinese cinema.
Fu Jun, Hao Shuai, Lin Mu, Bruce Law,
Xu Xiaoshun, Zhu Lin, and Zhang Tao
Cinema serves as a mirror reflecting the era, while distinguished filmmakers are the eternal, brilliant stars in the long river of light and shadow. The short film The Spirit of Martial Arts Endures as Hearts Remain Young turned the spotlight on a titan of Chinese martial arts cinema - Director Yuen Wo-ping. Following this, the Yuen Clan and the Shaolin Tagou Martial Arts School jointly performed Tribute to Wuxia, where martial arts movements, blending strength with grace, painted a poetic scroll across the stage. Guests including Leung Shiu-hung, Yuen Wah, Yu Rongguang, Wu Jing, and Max Zhang took to the stage alongside special guests See-Yuen Ng, Sze-Man Tsang, Zhou Chao, and Ju Qianlang to pay their highest respects to this predecessor who has dedicated his life's blood to Chinese action cinema. The Beijing International Film Festival presented the "Lifetime Achievement Award" to Director Yuen Wo-ping in recognition of his outstanding contributions to Chinese cinema and the global film industry.
Max Zhang, Yu Rongguang, Leung Shiu-hung, Yuen Wah, and Wu Jing
Yuen Wo-ping
Singer Chris Lee performed Bygone Shores, a song conveying deep remembrance for late filmmakers. As images of those who have left us appeared on the screen, the familiar visuals intertwined with her moving vocals, leading the entire audience into a journey of memory that transcended time and space.
Chris Lee Performing Bygone Shores
Singer Zhou Shen infused the ceremony with warm energy with his performance of The Star Mender, his vocals illuminating the night sky like starlight.
Zhou Shen Performing The Star Mender
The entire ceremony unfolded through a blend of ritual and artistry; with shifting lights and shadows on stage and a succession of images on the screen, the infinite charm of cinematic art was fully displayed. As the ceremony drew to a close, the familiar melody of Auld Lang Syne echoed in the night air over Yanqi Lake, providing a warm and timeless footnote to this ten-day cinematic feast.
Connecting the World's Screens, Reflecting the Voice of the Times
Beijing, a city that carries deep Chinese cultural heritage and a mission for international exchange, has always been the root of Chinese cinema and a fertile ground for nurturing the power of light and shadow in the new era. As a key cultural hallmark of the capital, the BJIFF continues to sharpen its international and professional edge. With its ever-deepening influence, it projects an increasingly clear Chinese voice onto the global film stage.
Themed "Tiantan Glows, Hundred Flowers Bloom, Beijing Shines in Every Frame", this year's BJIFF featured over 100 activities across ten major sections, including the "Tiantan Award" competition, the Opening Ceremony, Beijing Film Panorama, the BJIFF Core Forums, Beijing Film Market, Film Carnival, the 33rd College Student Film Festival, the Closing & Awards Ceremony, "Film Plus", and the Beijing Film & Life Festival.
The Project Pitches section of the "Beijing Film Market" celebrated its 15th anniversary this year. For the first time, an animation track was added, attracting 539 submissions, with 24 high-quality projects ultimately advancing to the final review roadshow. Shu Qi, President of the Final Jury, together with Yin Fang, Larry Yang, Ying Luojia, Shao Yihui, and Dong Zijian, selected and presented eight official honors over five days. A total of 2.65 million yuan in cash and service support was provided to fully boost the commercialization of young filmmakers' works. The International Lounge facilitated a total of 402 negotiation sessions within four days - a 67.5% increase from last year - significantly improving the efficiency of partnership matching. More than 300 Chinese and foreign filmmakers and industry representatives from 14 countries participated deeply, establishing an efficient, smooth, and mutually beneficial platform for international film and television cooperation.
"Beijing Film Panorama" selected 260 Chinese and foreign films for over 800 screenings across 28 cinemas in the city. It also promoted collaborative screenings across the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, generating a box office of over 16 million yuan. A total of 5 million yuan in subsidies for Spring Affordable Film Screenings was distributed across the city, benefiting more than 80,000 film fans.
The "BJIFF Core Forums" hosted 35 high-end forums and professional events, including 7 BJIFF core forums, 3 masterclasses, and 3 open classes. These sessions brought together global industry leaders and experts to engage in profound dialogues and share invaluable insights.
Feng Xiaogang, President of the International Jury for the Forward Future, joined jurors Anthony LaMolinara, Iván Fund, Wei Xiang, and Chang Chia-lu to select and present eight honors, lighting the torch for the growth of emerging forces in global cinema.
Andrew Lau, Jury President of the BJIFF Shorts, along with jurors Liu Yi, Sandra Ma, Qian Zhongyuan, and Zhou You, selected five honors and one "Audience Choice" film from 16 entries, focusing on the most promising highlights in the nursery of contemporary Chinese cinema.
The AIGC Section Main Track and the Wan Muse Theme Competition received a total of 2,840 submissions from 14 countries and regions, including China, Canada, Australia, Russia, and Japan, representing an 89% increase compared to last year. The venue for the Boundless ∞ Immersive Section has expanded significantly, with the exhibition area increasing from 2,000 to 5,000 square meters. It featured more than 50 high-quality virtual reality works from around the world, encompassing VR, AR, MR, immersive installations, and spatial imagery.
The "Beijing Film & Life Festival" covered 17 urban districts, more than 50 business circles, and over 1,500 merchants, highlighting the significant impact of the "ticket stub economy". As of April 24, more than 50 business circles across the city collaborated with the BJIFF, attracting a cumulative total of 50.907 million visitors and driving consumption to 15.71 billion yuan, reaching a new historical high compared to last year.
Looking back at this ten-day extravaganza, it was more than just a magnificent showcase of cinematic art; it was a sincere dialogue between civilizations. Here, we tell countless stories through images, responding to the rhythms of our era. We witnessed global filmmakers sparking inspiration through the language of cinema and recorded the tireless, forward-moving strides of Chinese filmmakers.
The credits never truly roll on cinema; the passion for it flows forever. The BJIFF will continue to unite global cinematic forces to tell Chinese stories and amplify world voices. It will drive the art of film forward amidst the tides of the times, marching toward a global cinematic vision that is more open, diverse, and inclusive.
