The China film festival, organised by the China Film Administration and the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Lagos, kicked off on Monday at Silverbird Galleria, Victoria Island, Lagos, with a grand opening ceremony attended by dignitaries from both countries.

The opening ceremony was attended by H.E. Hu Heping, Executive Deputy Head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, Minister of Culture and Tourism of China; Ms. YAN Yuqing, Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Lagos; Mr. Mao Yu, Executive Deputy Director General, Bureau of Films, the Department of the CPC Central Committee; Mr. Otunba Segun Runsewe, Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture; Ms. Hajia Zainab Ali-Biu, Leader of the Delegation from Federal Ministry of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy, Nigeria; and Mr. Femi Adeshina, former Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the President, and representatives of Lagos State government.

The event was marked by mesmerising cultural performances presented by the Huaxing Art Troupe Nigeria, which captivated the audience and set the stage for an unforgettable event.

Also, a mesmerising live performance by the talented actress Ms. Zhu Hongxing, who featured as Xiaoqing in the critically acclaimed film White Snake, left the audience awe-inspired, providing a glimpse into the magic of Chinese cinema.

The opening film Cloudy Mountain was screened after the speeches, drawing applause and tears from the audience. The film depicts the bravery and sacrifice of railway engineering corps in the face of geological disasters, who put aside their own safety to rescue as many lives as they can. It is a film that vividly conveys the life-first-people-first principle in Chinese rescues.

The China Film Festival will showcase eleven Chinese films of various types and genres: action, animation, opera, documentary, etc. The films reflect the rich diversity and vitality of Chinese culture and the development and changes in Chinese society.

The films include an action film ‘Ride On’ starring Jackie Chan, who is very popular with the African audience; an animated film ‘I am what I am’ that showcases the Chinese traditional folklore of lion dance; a Cantonese opera film ‘White Snake’ that highlights the aesthetics of Chinese traditions; and a documentary ‘Beijing 2022’ that records the success of the Winter Olympics in Beijing last year.

Speaking at the event, Yan Yuqing said, “The prosperity of civilisation and human progress will not be possible without enhancing common ground, openness and inclusiveness as well as exchange and mutual learning and reserving differences among them.

“This year’s China Film Festival in Lagos, Nigeria, aims to practice the Global Civilisation Initiative, to implement the China-Africa cultural and people-to-people exchange program. This Film Festival is also to strengthen China-Nigeria cultural exchanges and film-making cooperation, so as to share Chinese harmony and perform Nigeria-China symphony, and enhance the mutual comprehension between our two countries.”

Also, the Executive Deputy Director General, Bureau of Films, the Department of the CPC Central Committee, Mr. Mao Yu said, “We are confident that the Chinese film industry has embarked on steady high-quality development and will continue to deliver as a major driver and contributor to the global market.

“We believe mutual film festivals will become a new starting point for deepening China-Nigeria film exchanges and cooperation, which will inject new momentum into the development of the global film market and make new contributions to promoting a high-level China-Africa community of a shared future.”