For its sixth edition, the Chinese Film Festival in France (CFFF) was inaugurated on Tuesday evening for the first time in Strasbourg.
In the presence of numerous officials and a large public which has the chance to be the first to discover the program, the event will be held in several large French cities and the Island of Reunion until July 19.
Organized by the Cultural Center of China in Paris and the Group Pathe, the CFFF, created in 2011, has become an unforgettable Sino-French cinema event.
This sixth edition of the Chinese Film Festival in France also marks the 10th anniversary of the "month of Chinese cinema in France," the Consul General in Strasbourg He Yanjun underlined Tuesday night, during the inauguration ceremony.
Consul General He also saluted the "role of cinema in the cultural exploration" of the two countries and the "mutual enthusiasm" which brings them together.
"It is a window of comprehension on China for the French public," he added, in recalling that "China has become the first market in the world for cinema" and that it is "an essential partner for France."
Municipal Councilor Jean-Jacques Gsell, speaking on behalf the City of Strasbourg, celebrated the "strong and privileged ties which unite Strasbourg with several cities in China" and expressed his wish to see other partnership initiatives take shape.
"This is an unforgettable moment of my career which began now 40 years ago," director Song Jiangbo confided to the public before the screening of his film "Chinese Wine."
"I want to show the daily lives and the feelings of the Chinese people in the China of today with the goal of working for the deepening of our mutual understanding," he declared.
Zheng Weili, his star actress, thanked the director warmly and expressed with emotion the "good fortune to be in France for the first time to present" the film, released in January 2016, which puts into focus the culture of Maotai, the national Chinese alcohol, throughout the flow of historic events of the 20th century.
Alongside "Chinese Wine" no less than 10 films of all genres, all previously unreleased in France, will be screened until July 19 from Strasbourg to Paris, passing by Lyon, Marseille, Cannes, Biarritz, as well as in the French overseas territory on the Island of Reunion.
This eclectic selection includes films from renowned filmmakers, adventure films, martial arts movies, animated features, comedies and thrillers and aims to provide "a selection of the best of Chinese production of the moment."
Among these films can notably be found 2015 box office smashes such as "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny" from Yuen Woo-Ping, "Monster Hunt" from Raman Hui and "Monkey King: Hero is Back" from Tian Xiaopeng.
France is the European country which imports the most Chinese films, while China is the largest foreign market for French cinema.
