Chinese Film Festival opens in Seoul

The fifth Chinese Film Festival has opened in South Korea's capital Seoul. Chinese cinema icons including filmmaker Wong Kar-Wai, Zhang Ziyi, and Tony Leung Chiu-Wai are there.

The fifth Chinese Film Festival has opened in South Korea's capital Seoul. Chinese cinema icons including filmmaker Wong Kar-Wai, Zhang Ziyi, and Tony Leung Chiu-Wai are there.

The Chinese film festival here in Seoul is playing a major role in bolstering cultural exchange between South Korea and China. The biennial festival, which first opened in 2006, this year takes on the theme of "Meeting the Best Faces in Chinese Film."

A festival organizer said, "We are featuring some of the most popular films in China right now. We can see new trends developing in Chinese film. This year will be the biggest festival yet and we've got some really big names coming."

Wong Kar Wai's "The Grandmasters," which opened the Berlinale earlier this year, is the inaugural film in the festival. The director is a firm favourite among South Korean cinema goers. Chinese stars Tony Leung, Zhang Ziyi and South Korean actress Song Hye-kyo, are on-hand to add some glamour to this year's opening ceremony.

The five-day event will also introduce 11 recent Chinese works including mainstream hit "Back to 1942", set during the War Against Japanese Invasion. Other films featured include internationally acclaimed drama "A Simple Life," which won Deanie Ip the Best Actress Award at the 68th Venice Film Festival. Films with an urban narrative, like "Lost in Thailand" "Love is Not Blind" and "Caught in the Web" marks a turning point in the Chinese film industry, away from the mainly kongfu films of the past.

A festival organizer said, "I think one of the most important reasons for the rapid development of the Chinese film industry is the support from the Chinese people and the government, who have invested a lot of money in the industry-- which make us very jealous! I believe Chinese film will go on to impress and influence the world."

A Wedding Invitation," a pan-Asian collaboration by South Korean rom-com master Oh Ki-hwan, will close the festival. Lead actors Eddie Peng and Bai Baihe are due to attend. The festival runs until Thursday.