Diplomat Filmfest opens with focus on cross-cultural exchange

The second Diplomat Filmfest of the Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) opened Friday, with diplomats pledging to use the platform to enhance cross-cultural exchanges.

Chen Li, deputy director-general of the Beijing Service Bureau for Diplomatic Missions, speaks at the opening of the second Diplomat Filmfest in Beijing, April 25, 2025. [Photo courtesy of the BJIFF Organizing Committee]

Chen Li, deputy director-general of the Beijing Service Bureau for Diplomatic Missions (BDS), highlighted film's importance as both a cultural bridge and a diplomatic asset.

"Today, cultural exchanges require mutual effort more than ever before," he said. "I hope this platform will further advance China-global cultural dialogue."

Guan Hong, deputy general manager of China Intercontinental Communication Center, said that the Diplomat Filmfest continues the positive interaction model among diplomats worldwide and upholds its mission as a platform facilitating exchanges across diverse fields.

Guan Hong, deputy general manager of China Intercontinental Communication Center, speaks at the opening of the second Diplomat Filmfest in Beijing, April 25, 2025. [Photo courtesy of the BJIFF Organizing Committee]

Nearly 400 people attended the opening ceremony and screenings, including ambassadors from Montenegro and Somalia, along with representatives from international organizations and 57 countries, including Greece, Turkey, Italy, Myanmar, the UAE and Mexico.

"May cinema continue to serve as a bridge to friendship and inspiration, fostering greater cooperation and mutual understanding," said Branko Bulatovic, Montenegro's ambassador to China.

During the opening, the Diplomat Filmfest Film Service Support System was launched following an agreement between the Digital Film Content Administrative Center of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the China Film Critics Association. The system will offer more than 1,000 Chinese and international films for screening at diplomat-related events.

Rao Shuguang, president of the China Film Critics Association, speaks at the opening of the second Diplomat Filmfest in Beijing, April 25, 2025. [Photo courtesy of the BJIFF Organizing Committee]

The China Film Critics Association also launched an international committee at the event, aiming to create a global think tank of diplomats, critics and scholars, its president Rao Shuguang said. The new body will work to bridge cultural barriers, deepen cross-cultural exchanges and broaden perspectives on cinema while developing a more inclusive film ecosystem.

"This marks an innovation in film criticism and also a new starting point for transcending cultural boundaries and deepening mutual understanding," Rao said.

Kong Lingbin, chairman of Beijing Intercontinental Brothers Film and Television Cultural Co. and incoming deputy head of the committee, said film criticism serves as a bridge between creators and global audiences.

Film reviews function as both aesthetic dialogue and cultural translation, helping build understanding across different cultural systems while reducing misunderstandings, according to Kong.

Actors Zhang Songwen and Xiao Yang received the 2025 Annual Diplomat Filmfest International Image Ambassador award at the event.

Actors Xiao Yang and Zhang Songwen speak as they accept the International Image Ambassador award at the opening of the second Diplomat Filmfest in Beijing, April 25, 2025. [Photo courtesy of the BJIFF Organizing Committee]

Zhang, who portrayed Chinese diplomat Wu Xiuquan in Chen Kaige's "The Volunteers: To the War," said he received extensive guidance from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs during his preparation for the role.

"Through cinema as our medium – like a bridge connecting people's shared passion for film worldwide – we hope to explore diverse cultural traditions and histories," Zhang said. "May we all draw greater energy from this ocean of films."

Xiao, known for international films like "Detective Chinatown" and "Octopus with Broken Arms," noted the growing trend of Chinese film crews working overseas. He spent two months filming "Escape from the Outland" in Morocco last year, where he found that despite language and cultural barriers, filmmaking passion created immediate bonds between Chinese crew members and local Moroccan filmmakers.

"I feel that film allows people from different countries and cultures to see into each other's hearts more quickly, become friends faster and ultimately connect the world together," he said.

Children of diplomats pose for a photo at a cutout board installation promoting the documentary "The Adventures of the Panda" during the opening of the second Diplomat Filmfest in Beijing, April 25, 2025. [Photo courtesy of the BJIFF Organizing Committee]

The Diplomat Filmfest included a Chengdu cultural exhibition, film seminars and an advanced screening of "The Adventures of the Panda," a documentary adaptation set for June release based on a six-episode TV series about giant pandas. The event also featured an AI-generated documentary about the ocean, highlighting new production technologies.

"Film is the vehicle of exchange and mutual learning between civilizations, and a bridge for people to know and trust each other," said Yu Junsheng, president of Beijing Radio & Television Station and secretary-general of the BJIFF Organizing Committee.

Yu noted that the Diplomat Filmfest is China's first international cultural exchange platform, jointly established by diplomatic, film, cultural and arts institutions, showcasing diversity while building a global cinematic dialogue platform for diplomats.