A grand ceremony kicked off the 13th Shanghai International Film Festival in China's business hub on June 12 while the World Expo continues in the city.

Over 300 Chinese and foreign moviemakers attended the ceremony held at Shanghai Grand Theatre, including Oscar winner Adrien Brody, French director Luc Besson, Hong Kong director John Woo, kung fu star Jet Li, actress Gong Li, Hollywood actor John Cusack, actress Joan Chen and singer-actor Leehom Wang. They posed for pictures and fans on the red carpet. see the?photos>>

"It is a pleasure to watch good movies. It is also a great pleasure to make new friends (during the festival)," said John Woo, the jury president of the festival at the ceremony. Quoting Confucius's "Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar?" he also noted that the festival would combine an exchange of cultures and ideas with good wills and friendship.

At the ceremony, French director Luc Besson was presented the Outstanding Artistic Life Achievement Award while Chinese director Chen Kaige received the Award for Outstanding Contribution to Chinese Cinema.

Han Zheng, mayor of Shanghai (left), shakes hands with French director Luc Besson after presenting him with the Outstanding Artistic Life Achievement Award at the opening ceremony of the 13th Shanghai International Film Festival at Shanghai Grand Theatre on June 12, 2010. [Courtesy of SIFF]

During the nine-day festival, a total of 300 movies from around the world will be screened at 25 theatres across the city. Most of them have never been released to the Chinese mainland. Coinciding with the simultaneous city-themed Expo, some European movies are centered on urban life.

Sixteen movies, chosen from a record 2,327 entries from 81 countries, will compete for the Golden Goblet Award, the highest honor of the festival.

Woo vowed that he would lead the jury to evaluate these films with an open-minded perspective and make a fair judgment.

Zhao Wei, one of the jury members, made her first public appearance at the festival after giving birth to a baby girl. Prior to the opening ceremony, she told the press "the movie industry is what I like the best and will be part of my life for the rest of my time. It is not work, but enjoyment, for me to be on the jury."

In addition to movie screenings, various discussion forums and market fairs for movies will be held during the festival.