The 16th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) opened on April 16 at the Beijing Yanqi Lake International Convention and Exhibition Center.

At the opening ceremony, Juliette Binoche, a world-renowned actress and the Jury President of the 16th Tiantan Award, graced the occasion with other jury members.

A total of 16 films have been shortlisted for the Tiantan Award, selected from 1,826 submissions from 139 countries and regions. Since its inception, the Tiantan Award has been upholding a global vision with diversity at its core and welcoming outstanding films from around the world, underlining the principles of equality and openness. The award offers an important chance for art exchanges and dialogues between the Chinese and global film industries.

The main events of this year's festival have been fully upgraded with a series of highlights.

For the "Beijing Film Panorama" section, 260 outstanding films from across the globe have been carefully selected. These are scheduled to be screened at commercial cinemas, art-house cinemas and theaters in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, with about 800 screenings in total.

The core forums this year focus on cutting-edge topics of the film industries worldwide, including the new ecosystem of the film economy, how relevant technologies can reshape the future, and the resonance between creation and audiences.

Masterclasses will also be held by Juliette Binoche, Tran Anh Hung and Richard Curtis, alongside three open classes on cinematography, performance practices and literary adaptation, fostering in-depth interdisciplinary exchanges.

The "Beijing Film Market" section is aimed at offering showcases, promotions, business transactions and exchanges, just like its previous sessions. Key sub-events include project pitches, the International Lounge, market screenings and outdoor screenings, highlighting the section's unique role in nurturing youth filmmakers, connecting global resources and benefiting general audiences.

The "Beijing Film and Life Festival" has launched 10 themed travel routes under the theme "Travel with Movies", inviting film fans from across the globe to explore Beijing through the city's filming locations and other landmarks.

(Source: Beijing International Film Festival)