149,714 Film Tickets Sold for Festival in Single Day

Group and individual tickets were available at 28 cinemas around the city, including the Shanghai Film Art Center, Stellar Cinema City and Yonghua Cinema.

Movie buffs can also buy tickets online or via cell phone. Prices for screenings range from 40 RMB (US$ 6.35) to 60 RMB (US$ 9.525).

More than 300 classic and new foreign and domestic films will be screened during the festival between June 16 to 24.

The organizing committee said it was pleased with the take up on the first day.

Despite the hot, humid conditions, film fans flocked to the Shanghai Film Art Center - the festival\'s main venue - early on June 9 to snap up tickets.

Among those was Xie Guoping, a retired teacher who has attended festival screenings for many years.

He bought tickets for newly restored version of Chinese classics Crossroads and Spring River Flows East.

"The movies played an important role in the development of Chinese cinema," Xie said, "It is good that restored versions are being shown at the festival."

Also queuing was Zhu Ying, a local university student, who bought tickets for Golden Bear winning Italian drama Caesar Must Die.

"The festival provides a good opportunity for my classmates and me to see many outstanding artists and experimental films," Zhu said.

Japanese suspense thriller The Wings of the Kirin, along with W.E., a British romantic drama co-written and directed by Madonna, and Tim Burton\'s new comedy horror film Dark Shadows are among the most popular movies so far.

"The film festival continues to offer an array of diverse films," said Zhang Bin, manager of Shanghai Film Art Center. "A lot more films this year also give the audience a chance to meet cast members ahead of the screening."

Films showing at Stellar Cinema City at Pudong include French musical murder-mystery 8 Women, Danish drama Melancholia and Republic of Korea\'s thriller The Host 3D.