Feature: Chinese movies enthrall audience at Bangladeshi film festival

DHAKA, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- Applause and cheers rang out as the audience thoroughly enjoyed the unique cinematic experience at the 22nd Dhaka International Film Festival, which was inaugurated on Saturday and will last until Sunday this week.

Seventeen Chinese films including "The Wandering Earth II" are screened at the film festival.

Bangladeshi cinephile Rezaul Islam told Xinhua after watching the Chinese movie "The Great Distance Delivers Crane" that the film is mesmerizing because of the feelings evoked by its wonderful story and exquisite images.

Ranjan Mallick, a local filmmaker, said the movies showed that the Chinese are wonderful in filmmaking.

"There is an independent spirit in Chinese culture, the attitude of working independently and self-reliance from childhood is beautifully presented by the director here," Mallick said.

The Dhaka International Film Festival is the first batch to join the Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance, which was launched by Shanghai International Film Festival in 2018.

Jin Yangguang, director of the forum department of Shanghai International Film Festival, told Xinhua that it's the first time a Chinese film delegation came to screen films and hold forums in Dhaka.

"We hope the two sides will conduct more fruitful cooperation in the future," Jin added.

The theme of the 22nd Dhaka International Film Festival is "Better Film, Better Audience, and Better Society."

The festival has been organized regularly by Rainbow Film Society, an organization dedicated to the promotion of a healthy cine culture in Bangladesh and celebrating the global mainstream in film and its social relevance since 1977.