The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Film Festival opened in grand style in the coastal city of Qingdao, Shandong province on June 14, gathering movie stars and celebrated directors from the bloc's 12 member and observer states.

Jointly hosted by China's State Film Administration and the Shandong provincial government, the event, lasting until June 17, is the first of its kind to be held in a SCO member state, and is designed to promote cooperation and exchanges and build a bridge of friendship between different countries.

The festival will screen 55 movies from SCO's 12 member and observer states, including "4 Big Heads", "White Blessing", "The Children of Genghis", "Kung Fu Yoga" and "This Is Not What I Expected".

In addition, 23 movies will compete for the film awards, including "Our Time Will Come", "Enter the Forbidden City", "Take Off" and "Mermaid".

More than 30 themed events will also take place during the five-day festival.

More than 1,000 film professionals, movie stars, government officials and journalists from SCO's eight member states and four observers took part in the jubilant opening ceremony at China's largest filmmaking base -- the Qingdao Lingshan Bay Film and Television Cultural Industry Area.

SCO Secretary General Rashid Alimov sent a congratulatory message to the festival, saying that the SCO attached great importance to cultural bonds and people-to-people exchanges and the festival offers a great opportunity to show "Shanghai Spirit". He believes that the festival will make a great contribution to the movie industry development of SCO states, as well as deepen people-to-people and cultural exchanges.

Wang Xiaohui, director of the State Film Administration, delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony. He said that the festival will boost cultural cooperation between the SCO nations as well as help filmmakers to learn from each other.

Zhang Jiangting, Party chief of Qingdao, said that, the festival will help to build a platform for filmmakers to exchange and cooperate as well as promote mutual learning among civilizations of SCO states.

Qingdao, host of the just-concluded SCO summit, is home to China's earliest cinema – the Qingdao Seamen's Club, built in 1902. The city was named China's first UNESCO City of Film in 2017.

The modern metropolis is home to international-class film and television facilities and abundant talent resources, such as the Lingshan Bay Film and Television Culture Industry Area, covering 44 square kilometers with a total investment of 120 billion yuan ($18.7 billion).

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Film Festival opens on June 13 in Qingdao, Shandong province. [Photo by Li Wei/iqilu.com]

Wang Xiaohui, director of the State Film Administration, delivers a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the SCO Film Festival on June 13 in Qingdao, Shandong province. [Photo /iqilu.com]