Before the official opening of the second Beijing International Film Festival on Monday, events have been held over the weekend including multiple screenings and a film carnival, to raise excitement across the capital. Local filmgoers will be treated to nearly 300 films from China and around the world.

Before the official opening of the second Beijing International Film Festival on Monday, events have been held over the weekend including multiple screenings and a film carnival, to raise excitement across the capital. ?

Award-winning Iranian film "A Separation" hit the big screens across Beijing before it will open at the second Beijing International Film Festival.

Focused on an Iranian middle-class couple who separate, the film has won major international awards including Berlin's Golden Bear for Best Film, Silver Bears for Best Actress and Best Actor and both the Best Foreign Language Film awards from the Golden Globes and Oscars.

A movie goer said, "I've learnt a lot about "A Separation" from magazines. I'm eager to watch it but the film hasn't been screened in cinemas. It's great that the festival makes it available, so I'm here. "

"Today's movie goers are no longer satisfied with typecast films. We want to see something distinctive in cinemas. "

That demand could be shortly filled during the eight-day screenings at the second Beijing International Film Festival. Around 260 films from 54 countries and regions will be showed. The long list includes "The Tree of Life", "The Artist" , "Hugo" and the serial "Lord of the Rings", "Ice Age" and "Men in Black".

Chinese director Zhang Yang's "Full Circle" opens the screening with "A Separation". The film tells the story of a group of elderly people at a nursing home, highlighting the issues of an ageing population.