On October 11, the China Film Festival 2024 opened in Singapore. This year’s event was jointly organized by the Embassy of China in Singapore, the Singapore China Friendship Association and the China Cultural Centre, with strong support by the China Film Archive and the Singapore branch of ICBC.

Mr. Cao Zhongming, Chinese Ambassador to Singapore, Mr. Pan Guoju, President of the Singapore-China Friendship Association, and Mr. Lin Siwei, Deputy Director of the China Film Archive were among over 200 guests from all walks of life who attended the opening ceremony and watched “Chang An”, the opening picture.

“The China Film Festival in Singapore has been running for twelve years, serving as an important bridge for the ever-growing understanding and friendship between the two peoples,” said Mr. Cao in his opening remarks. He added that the selections this year, with diverse genres and themes spanning ancient and modern times, include both artistic reproductions of China’s rich history and culture and reflections on the contemporary society, offering Singaporean friends a new window into China.

According to Mr. Pan Guoju, the art of cinema brings together cultural, social, economic and many other elements, showcasing a country in multidimensional ways. This has been the drive for promoting the China Film Festival abroad.

This year’s festival featured four outstanding Chinese productions, namely, “Chang An”, “Gold or Shit”, “Yolo” and “Full River Red”. They were met with enthusiastic cinema-goers who scrambled to grab tickets. Prior to the screening of “Chang An”, Ms. Li Yue, an archivist from the China Film Archive gave an insightful presentation on the modern, Chinese and oriental characteristics of the film, allowing local audiences to better appreciate the unique charm of Chinese animations.

(Translated by Luo Desai)