XI’AN, China, Sept. 23, 2024 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/– The 11th Silk Road International Film Festival kicked off on September 21 in the grand setting of the Tang Paradise in Xi’an in northwest China’s Shaanxi Province.

Over the course of five days, a dazzling feast of light and shadow will be presented to movie enthusiasts from around the world.

Under the theme of “Silk Road Connecting the World, Light and Shadow Shining in Chang’an,” this film festival features a series of main events, including the Golden Silk Road Award, film screenings, film forums, and Silk Road film exchange activities. These activities provide a platform for filmmakers from around the world to exchange ideas and explore the art of cinema together.

During the opening ceremony, a diverse range of artistic forms, including theatrical performances, music and dance, and stunning light and visual effects, integrated the various civilizations along the Silk Road, and created a vivid and magnificent tapestry of light and shadow.

The performances transcended language, race, and cultural boundaries, conveying the concept of harmony from Chinese culture and showcasing the profound historical heritage and broad international perspective of the ancient city of Xi’an.

As the guest country of honor for this year’s film festival, Uzbekistan presented a special performance during the opening ceremony, which narrated the enduring friendship between China and Uzbekistan, which has been passed down through generations and has seen mutual visits between the two countries from the Tang Dynasty to the present day.

This film festival has attracted 2,065 entries from 136 countries and regions worldwide to compete for the Golden Silk Road Award. A panel of 13 international judges, led by Romanian film director Cristian Mungiu, will evaluate the final 24 films that have made it to shortlist over the next five days. The winners of ten major awards, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Emerging Director, and Best Screenplay, will be announced during the awards ceremony on September 25.

The Silk Road embodies a splendid and profound culture and spirit. In response to the Belt and Road Initiative, the Silk Road International Film Festival, which has been running for 11 years, aims to build bridges and dialogue channels for filmmakers from both domestic and international arenas.

The event strives to promote mutual understanding and appreciation among the civilizations along the Silk Road, fostering friendship and mutual understanding and appreciation through cinema and creating a vibrant chapter in the world’s cultural history.

As the eastern starting point of the ancient Silk Road, Xi’an has witnessed long-term exchanges and mutual learning between Eastern and Western civilizations, as well as the opening, development, prosperity, and heyday of the Silk Road.

Home to countless valuable cultural relics and the precious spirit of the Silk Road, the city is leveraging its confident and inclusive urban cultural temperament and vibrant innovative development momentum to tell the world its unique urban story.

Source: 11th Silk Road International Film Festival