Belt and Road Film Week | Guide to Events and Remaining Tickets!

Encounter great moments with cinema, discover a delighting life in the city. The 26th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) will officially kick off on June 14.

As a significant component of SIFF, the Belt and Road Film Week has been  hosting screenings, post-screening discussions, and other series of events, among which the “Latin American Fiesta” integrating audiovisual and culinary experiences is meticulously prepared for your attention. At designated cinemas, we have also prepared limited commemorative ticket stubs, themed cup holders, and other cultural and creative merchandise for film fans to collect together. Let’s eagerly anticipate this delightful event!

2024 Belt and Road Film Week Commemorative Ticket Stubs

Director and actor Da Peng (Dong Chengpeng) and actress and producer Yao Chen have been invited to serve as this year’s ambassadors for the Belt and Road Film Week. They will actively participate in a series of events in this unit, leveraging their industry influence to facilitate exchanges and communications. This summer, let’s gather at the cinemas and event venues to witness this splendid cultural exchange event in the world of cinema!

Scroll down to unlock detailed schedules and remaining tickets, pick out exclusive experiences in dining, entertainment, and tailor your own tour tips at SIFF!

Here are detailed introductions to various activities during the Belt and Road Film Week:

Belt and Road Film Week Screenings

June 14 – June 23

Venue: Partner Cinemas in Yangtze River Delta

Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou

Hangzhou, Ningbo, Hefei

The Belt and Road Film Week at this year’s film festival, themed “Path of Courage”, will showcase 18 excellent films from various countries. These films feature protagonists who either break through internal barriers or venture into distant lands, taking brave steps in their lives. Among them, eight selected films by professional curators will compete for three honors: “Media Focus for Filmmaker”, “Media Focus for Film”, and “Audience Favorite Film”. Audience members attending the screenings are encouraged to vote for their favorite films on-site!

Screening poster of The Midsummer’s Voice

Written by Cui Xueying and Zhang Yudi, directed by Zhang Yudi, and starring Bian Cheng and Zhou Meijun, with Zhang Chi and Chen Shaoxi in the lead roles, the film THE MIDSUMMER’S VOICE, as the opening film of this year’s Belt and Road Film Week, will have its Chinese premiere on June 14 during SIFF.

This work depicts the transition of young opera performers during adolescence. Sun Xiaolei comes from a lineage deeply rooted in the art, with his grandfather, a renowned actor, and his father, once ambitious, faltered during his voice transition. Laden with the prestige of his grandfather and the unfulfilled dreams of his father, Sun Xiaolei carries a burden of self-assurance tinged with anxiety. As a crucial selection approaches, the impending voice change exacerbates his worries. Amidst preparations, Sun Xiaolei befriends the tomboyish female opera performer Shi Jiahui and Xie Tianci who’s from an old and well-known Peking Opera family. In this prolonged summer, these three adolescents will navigate through their own “voice transition” journey unique to adolescence.

> Guide to remaining tickets for meet-and-greet <

In addition to THE MIDSUMMER’S VOICE, other selected films for the film week include GOODBYE JULIA, IF ONLY I COULD HIBERNATE, MATRIOSHKA, CHILDREN OF THE COAST, THE SETTLERS, and MURDERESS. Each will host screenings featuring meet-and-greet sessions with their creators. Tickets for some sessions have already been sold out on the first ticketing day.

Meet-and-greet sessions with limited tickets include: Sudan’s first-ever Cannes Film Festival Official Selection entry GOODBYE JULIA (session on June 14, 15:30); IF ONLY I COULD HIBERNATE (session on June 14, 18:00), which showcases the journey of a Mongolian youth’s growth and transformation amidst winter landscapes; and Colombia’s delicate female-focused film MATRIOSHKA (session on June 15, 13:00), the documentary from Mexico where musicians express their passion for hometown and tradition in CHILDREN OF THE COAST (session on June 15, 18:00). The above sessions will take place at Palace Cinema (L+ Mall), Shanghai, and fans eager to have face-to-face communication with them may visit the special portal for the sessions at the SIFF website to purchase tickets.

> Yangtze River Delta Screening Schedule <

The Belt and Road Film Week will also screen six selected international films in five cities: Nanjing, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Ningbo and Hefei, so that more film fans in the Yangtze River Delta region can experience the allure of film art of the SIFF right at their doorsteps, and get a taste of the charm of the local customs of countries along the Belt and Road route.

Launching Ceremony of Belt and Road Film Week

June 15

Time: 9:30-10:15pm

Venue: Shendi Cultural Centre

The launching ceremony will invite film week ambassadors Da Peng and Yao Chen, domestic and international filmmakers, industry veterans and media partners to attend and launch the rich and colorful series of activities of the film week.

Latin American Fiesta

June 15 – June 18

Venue: Bicester Village

This year, the Belt and Road Film Week will bring a brand-new initiative – “Latin American Fiesta” to Bicester Village in Shanghai International Resort. Film fans from all over the world will be able to enjoy traditional costumes and dance performances with local characteristics, watch Latin American performances and unlock cultural and tourism offerings. The parade will sing and dance to show you the local culture and folklore, so you can experience the joy of travelling around Latin America without leaving Shanghai, and feel the unique local flavor and charm.

Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance Press Conference

June 16 

Time: 14:00-15:00

Venue: JinJue Ballroom, Crowne Plaza Shanghai

Press Conference of the Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance 2023

The press conference of the Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance will continue to invite representatives of the members of the Alliance and the Belt and Road Film Week to appear at the press conference and witness the exchange and development achievements of the Alliance together.

The Belt and Road Film Culture Roundtable Talk

June 16 

Time: 15:00-17:00

Venue: JinJue Ballroom, Crowne Plaza Shanghai

The Belt and Road Film Culture Roundtable Talk 2023

This year’s forum will also gather representatives of international film festivals and film creators to discuss the creation and international dissemination of films from countries along the Belt and Road route, the cultivation of young film talents, and the role and development of film festivals, to envision the future of film exchange and co-operation within the Belt and Road framework.

Festivals Bridge Industry Workshop

June 18 

Time: 10:00-15:00

Venue: Crowne Plaza Shanghai

The workshop will invite senior industry professionals from members of the Alliance and studios to engage in a two-way dialogue with film creators, sharing their experiences in creation and looking to the future of the film industry by analyzing successful cases of international distribution of local stories and discussing practical strategies for convergence with international production and distribution.

There will be two workshops on the following topics:

Prospects of international film distribution in China

Strategies for promoting films at international film festivals

Closing ceremony of the Belt and Road Film Week

June 18

Time: 18:30 - 19:30

Venue: Museum of Art Pudong

Closing ceremony of the Belt and Road Film Week 2023

The Belt and Road Film Week Closing Ceremony is the grand finale of the Belt and Road Film Week at SIFF, where the winners of the three honors of this section will be announced. The closing ceremony will also invite Chinese and foreign filmmakers, film week ambassadors and other guests to meet face-to-face and share their experiences in the film and television industry.

During the Belt and Road Film Week, in addition to our invitation to audiences worldwide to watch the latest films from all over the world and close exchanges with filmmakers from all walks of life, we will also offer opportunities to get to know more about Shanghai and the local culture. Those from all over the world will experience the speed of China, learn about Chinese culture, savor Chinese food, and feel the charm of Chinese culture, which has a long history and is profound, with local guides.

Special moments for the Belt and Road Film Week 2023 

Kebabs-side chat of filmmakers

This year, we will also set up the Special Experience session - inviting international filmmakers to join us for 20 Minutes in the Park and experience the Oriental cultural charm of eight trigrams boxing.

The Belt and Road Film Week is jointly organized by the Administrative Committee of Shanghai International Resort, the Publicity Department of the CPC Pudong New Area Committee (District Cultural, Sports and Tourism Bureau) and Shanghai International Film & TV Festivals, Co., Ltd. Thanks to the cooperation units, institutions and relevant partners for their strong support, and we look forward to discover more splendors ahead with you!

The Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance was initiated by the Organizing Committee of SIFF and was established in 2018, currently consisting of 55 member institutions from 48 countries. Against the backdrop of the Belt and Road Initiative, the alliance aims to enhance the capabilities of film curation, promote mutual understanding among filmmakers, facilitate film cooperation projects, strengthen exchanges in film culture among countries, establish a close information-sharing mechanism, and explore future development models for film festivals. Civilization thrives through exchange and mutual learning.

Since its establishment, SIFF, together with the Publicity Department of the CPC Pudong New Area Committee (District Cultural, Sports and Tourism Bureau), and the Administrative Committee of Shanghai International Resort, has cooperated to organize the Belt and Road Film Week, and created a mechanism with the Belt and Road Film Tour, effectively promoting two-way exchanges and mutual learning between filmmakers and film cultures along the Belt and Road route, and further enhancing cultural exchanges and people-to-people bonds among countries along the route.