More than 100 filmmakers, actors and industry professionals braved heavy rain Friday afternoon to walk the red carpet at Yanqi Lake International Convention Center for the opening of the 15th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF).

Actor Yin Xiaotian, dressed as Charlie Chaplin, poses on the red carpet for the 15th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) opening ceremony in Beijing, April 18, 2025. [Photo courtesy of BJIFF Organizing Committee]

Departing from the typical red carpet protocol, several stars appeared in costumes as iconic film characters, including Charlie Chaplin, Bruce Lee and Zorro. Others recreated scenes from classics like "Roman Holiday," "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," "The Wandering Earth" and "In the Mood for Love" — paying tribute to two major milestones: the 120th anniversary of Chinese filmmaking and the 130th anniversary of cinema worldwide.

The festivities continued inside with an elaborate opening gala featuring performances celebrating film history.

Sun Junmin, head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Beijing Municipal Committee, paid tribute to world cinema and extended her best wishes for success to filmmakers from around the world.

A photo captures the 15th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) opening gala in Beijing, April 18, 2025. [Photo courtesy of BJIFF Organizing Committee]

"The festival's 15-year journey of perseverance has grown into a bridge connecting Chinese and international filmmakers and a platform showcasing global cinematography," she said, adding she was confident in and looked forward to the continued growth of China's film industry.

Acclaimed Chinese director Jiang Wen appeared at the gala as the head of this year's jury for the festival's prestigious Tiantan Award competition. This year's jury panel includes Chinese American director and actor Joan Chen, British director David Yates, Chinese mainland actor Ni Ni, Finnish director Teemu Nikki, Swiss director and actor Vincent Perez, and Chinese art director Tim Yip from Hong Kong, China.

Jiang Wen remarked that a film can be interpreted in countless ways, emphasizing that "what you see in a movie depends entirely on who you are." Joan Chen shared her perspective on cinema more poetically: "Films bear the imprints of time – the movie camera like a black box preserving the passage of time: human existence, mortality, love, loss and fear."

The Tiantan Award jury appears on stage during the gala of the 15th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) opening ceremony in Beijing, April 18, 2025. [Photo courtesy of BJIFF Organizing Committee]

The jury will decide winners across 10 categories, including best feature film, best director and best screenplay. All awards will be presented at the festival's closing ceremony and gala on April 26.

The competition received a record 1,794 feature film submissions from 103 countries and regions. Fifteen films have been shortlisted for the final competition, including three Chinese entries: "Better Me, Better You," "Deep in the Mountains" and "Trapped."

Switzerland serves as the Country of Honor at this year's BJIFF. The Swiss film "Frieda's Case" is competing for the Tiantan Award, with a special Swiss Film Week featuring screenings of select Swiss films across Beijing theaters and filmmaker Q&A sessions.

At the gala, Swiss Ambassador to China Jürg Burri said: "We're honored to present the captivating panorama of Swiss cinema to Beijing this spring." He highlighted the timing — coinciding with 75 years of Sino-Swiss ties and their bilateral China-Switzerland Year of Culture and Tourism — as particularly meaningful. He extended warm wishes for cinematic collaboration and expressed hope for strengthened cultural exchange through film.

The Swiss film delegation poses on the red carpet for the 15th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) opening ceremony in Beijing, April 18, 2025. [Photo courtesy of BJIFF Organizing Committee]

There were several performances — from moving songs and dances to film montages and robotic stage performers — honoring Chinese animated features like "Ne Zha 2" and classic films from China's 120-year cinematic history.

As world cinema marks its 130th anniversary, Janet Yang, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and its first Chinese American president, delivered an impassioned keynote speech. She traced film's evolution from the Lumière brothers' "The Arrival of a Train" to today's digital technology and diverse storytelling approaches, likening 130 years of cinema to an unstoppable train.

Janet Yang, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of the United States, speaks at the 15th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) opening gala in Beijing, April 18, 2025. [Photo courtesy of BJIFF Organizing Committee]

Yang described how the artistic films of China's "Fifth Generation" directors first attracted her interest in Chinese cinema. She also explained how working on international film projects showed her that movies can overcome language and cultural barriers. "Cinema," she said, "is the language that best connects the world."

During the gala, actors and filmmakers representing upcoming movies "The Dumpling Queen," "A Gilded Game," and "The One" took the stage to introduce their projects. The ceremony also featured the launch of the "China Film Consumption Year," a major new initiative.

The program, backed by the China Film Administration and China Media Group, aims to integrate cinema with everyday consumer activities across culture, tourism and commerce, according to officials. The initiative seeks to connect films with daily experiences, from dining to travel, while boosting consumer engagement.

The initiative's first major event, the Beijing Film Life Festival, runs alongside the film festival and features city-wide celebrations across multiple venues. The centerpiece is a film bazaar at Langyuan Station, BJIFF's main venue, offering over 150 cultural brands, 70 food vendors and themed interactive zones that combine cinema with lifestyle experiences.

"China Film Consumption Year" is launched during the 15th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) opening ceremony in Beijing, April 18, 2025. [Photo courtesy of BJIFF Organizing Committee]

The festival runs until April 27 and will feature diverse events, including a film carnival, pitch sessions for emerging filmmakers and cross-industry collaborations. The screening program includes 18 thematic sections showcasing nearly 300 domestic and international films — ranging from nostalgic classics to rare or previously unreleased works in China — with approximately 900 showings at 33 premium venues.

Additional highlights include cutting-edge technology showcases, dedicated programs for short films and sports films, works by female directors and young filmmakers, creative markets, an AI film competition and a university student film festival.