The launch ceremony of the 10th Silk Road International Film Festival takes place in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, September 25, 2023. /CMG

The launch ceremony of the 10th Silk Road International Film Festival (SRIFF) kicked off in Fuzhou on Monday evening, the capital city of southeastern China's Fujian Province, with various performances staged at Fuzhou's Minyue River Town.

Zhou Zuyi, secretary of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee, and Xing Bo, vice president of China Media Group, attended the ceremony.

"The SRIFF takes films as the bridge and promotes interaction and mutual learning between the East and West, with the inclusive cultural charm and civilization heritage of thousands of years," said Xing during her speech at the ceremony.

She expressed appreciation to film organizations and workers from different countries, and hoped that through this film festival, where film workers worldwide can fully exchange experiences and ideas and further stimulate the vitality of the film industry.

As this year marks the 10th anniversary of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the event will have a special session to exhibit films from BRI participating countries. 

Themed on "Share Silk Road Stories in Collaboration with Partners from across the Globe," the year's event will also summarize the achievements of the Silk Road International Film Festival in promoting film exchanges among BRI partner countries in the past decade.

Monday's ceremony featured a simple and elegant stage design, seamlessly blending a sense of ceremony with a romantic and picturesque ocean view, vividly showcasing the elements of Fujian, where mountains and seas harmoniously coexist.

During this film festival, nine main events will be held, including the "Golden Silk Road Awards" selection, film screenings, and film forums among others.

The annual Golden Silk Road Award has received applications from over 500 films from 84 countries and regions, with 20 films, including Chinese suspense comedy "Full River Red," Nigerian black-and-white fantasy film"Mami Wata," and Chinese sci-fi blockbuster "The Wandering Earth II" entering the final race to compete for 10 awards including the "best film," "best director," "best actor," and "best actress" on Wednesday evening.

Co-hosted by China Media Group and the provincial governments of Shaanxi and Fujian, this year's festival will last till September 27. 

The Silk Road International Film Festival is held annually. The capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Xi'an, and Fuzhou in southeast China's Fujian Province alternate as hosts of the prominent event. The Silk Road International Film Festival is part of China's Silk Road Film Bridge Project, aiming to carry forward the spirit of the Silk Road and promote cooperation and exchanges of filmmakers from both China and abroad.