SANYA, /China/, December 3. /TASS/. The 7th Hainan International Film Festival is kicking off in China’s resort city of Sanya. The opening ceremony of this large-scale event, which has attracted guests from around the globe, will take place on Phoenix Island.

Organized by China Media Group and the Hainan Provincial Government, the series of events will run until December 9. Fourteen feature films, ten short films, and six documentaries from about 20 countries and regions will compete for the Golden Coconut Award. All of the films are new releases that premiered in 2025.

A record number of films were submitted to the 2025 Hainan festival: 4,564 films from 119 countries and regions.

The feature films competing for the grand prize include “A Dance in Vain” (Wo shi Quan Shi Jie Zui Xing Fu de Bao Bei) by Taiwanese director Lee Hong-chi, the Tajik-Emirati film “Black Rabbit, White Rabbit” by Shahram Mokri, the Canadian-Hungarian “Blue Heron” by Sophy Romvari, the Argentinian film Lo Que Trajo La Tormenta (What the Storm Brought) by Miguel De Zuviria, the German-Georgian film “Dry Leaf” by Alexander Koberidze, and two Chinese films: “Eternal Summer” (Bu Jiu Qian de Xia Tian) by Ye Zhenpeng and “Gloaming in Luomu” (Luomu de Huanghun) by Zhang Lyu.

The organizers say that "the viability of the festival depends on the audience," who will enjoy this accessible cultural event. The festival will feature screenings of nearly 150 Chinese and foreign films at 12 cinemas and various open-air venues in Sanya and the neighboring Lingshui Li Autonomous County to the east, as well as in Haikou, Hainan's administrative center. In addition, screenings will be organized in other areas of the province. To encourage attendance, the authorities have issued special vouchers.

Diversity and global reach

According to the festival’s organizing committee, the ages of the directors whose works participated in the 2025 competition ranged from 20 to 65. The directors included not only professional filmmakers, but also specialists in philosophy, programming, quantum physics, ecology, and education. Thus, the festival presents films with completely different worldviews.

In 2025, the film festival is being held under the motto “From Oceans to the Infinite.” According to Hainan International Film Festival Organizing Committee Director General Chen Jiyang, the event in Sanya aims to promote internationalization and focus on developing the market and free trade port. Jiyang pointed out that the screenings aim to attract the general public's attention, promote the integration of cinema-related industry chains, and strengthen the platform for international cultural interaction and experience exchange.

The jury includes thirteen filmmakers from China and other countries, seven of whom are in the feature film section. Italian producer and Gorky Prize winner Marco Muller, who was the lead advisor to the Beijing International Film Festival in 2015, is chairing the jury this time.

As in previous years, the organizers established 10 awards: for the best feature film, the grand prize, for the most outstanding directing, screenplay, visual effects, female and male acting roles, for contribution to the development of Chinese-language cinema, as well as for the most impressive short film and documentary. In addition, the jury and the organizing committee may award the honorary status of "special mention" to the two most outstanding works.

Chen Jiyang emphasized that the Sanya film festival “will allow cinematic enthusiasm to be transformed into consumer momentum.” "We continue to focus on the thematic experience of 'exploring Hainan through cinema,' transforming cinematic images of coconut palms and sea breezes into real tourist landscapes for viewers,” the secretary-general explained. “Here, you can watch movies, attend concerts, take a yacht trip, stroll along beaches, and shop in duty-free stores,” he added.

Uniqueness of Sanya film festival

The organizers promised that the competition and film screenings in Sanya would be a truly “grand celebration of cinema.” “This year marks the 130th anniversary of world cinema and the 120th anniversary of Chinese cinema,” Chen Jiyang recalled. “We have selected over 100 top-tier films that have been featured at film festivals in Cannes, Venice, Toronto, and Busan. We are showcasing the latest achievements in world cinema,” he emphasized.

Among the world-renowned directors attending the festival in Sanya is James Cameron, a Canadian filmmaker. French actress Juliette Binoche will serve as the brand ambassador in 2025.

The secretary-general of the organizing committee noted that the festival takes place shortly before Hainan's transition to a special customs regime on December 18, which is expected to stimulate development in China's southernmost province. He noted that the Hainan International Film Festival is the final major event of the year for international film screenings. This allows the festival to "more broadly showcase the craftsmanship and broad prospects of world cinema." Chen Jiyang specified that, during the festival, Sanya will become the first Chinese city to show new releases such as “Avatar: Fire and Ash” on the big screen.

According to him, the diversity of world cinema represented by Hainan is also reflected in its “linguistic pluralism”: over 4,500 films submitted for the competition are in more than 100 languages. The secretary general noted that this will be not only a meeting place for filmmakers from five continents but also a "grand gathering of film lovers," combining factors such as professionalism, "star power," and multidimensionality.

In addition to the competition and film screenings, themed forums and master classes will be held in Sanya. For the first time, the festival’s organizers will publish their annual report on the film economy. Companies "deeply involved" in this event include the American Walt Disney Company and the Chinese China Film Group Corporation, as well as participants such as Damai Entertainment and Easy Entertainment. Special attention will be given to showcasing the potential of young filmmakers from different countries and fostering connections among them.

This large-scale event, held annually in Hainan, showcases films from around the world and is one of China's major film festivals. The first festival took place in December 2018. Notable participants have included actors and directors such as Jackie Chan, Nicolas Cage, Johnny Depp, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, and Sophie Marceau. In 2021, the event was canceled due to the pandemic, and the sixth Hainan International Film Festival was held on December 4-10, 2024.