The 12th Chongqing Youth Film Festival opened on November 3, celebrating twelve years of nurturing young filmmakers and creative storytelling in Southwest China. The opening ceremony brought together filmmakers, government officials, and cultural leaders to mark the festival’s latest milestone.

Vice President Yan Gongjun of Sichuan International Studies University (SISU) delivered remarks at the ceremony, tracing the festival’s growth from its beginnings as a small platform for emerging creators to a signature film event rooted in Chongqing’s cultural scene. He emphasized that SISU would remain committed to supporting the festival’s continued development, contributing to the high-quality growth of Chongqing’s film industry and advancing the city’s international communication through cinema.

Vice President Yan joined Zhang Jin, Level-II Inspector of the Publicity Department of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee; Zhou Yi, Deputy Director of the Chongqing Foreign Affairs Office; Huang Xiang, Vice Chair of the Chongqing Federation of Literary and Art Circles and Chair of the Chongqing Film Association; Bao Ruhua, Level-II Inspector of the Federation of Literary and Art Circles; Santiago Gamboa, Minister-Counsellor at the Embassy of Colombia in China; Bai Xiaosha, Deputy Director of the Chongqing International Cultural Exchange Center; Song Yang, this year’s Festival Ambassador; Lu Kai, General Manager of Chongqing Raffles City; and Qiu Sheng, director of the opening film Some Rain Must Fall, to jointly light up the festival screen and inaugurate this year’s celebration of youth cinema.

Ding Zhong, Associate Dean of SISU’s School of Journalism and Communication and one of the festival’s co-founders, announced that the event received a record 2,680 film submissions this year. The program features 19 thematic sections, 44 in-person screenings, and 56 outstanding films to be showcased throughout the city. This year also marks the launch of the “Light and Shadow Translation Station,” an initiative led by SISU’s School of International Film and Television Industry to provide multilingual translation and dubbing services for promising Chinese films, helping them reach global audiences.

Founded in 2014 by two young faculty members of SISU’s School of Journalism and Communication, the Chongqing Youth Film Festival has grown into one of the largest and most dynamic film events in Southwest China, known for combining professional insight with youthful creativity.

The 12th festival is co-hosted by the Chongqing Film Bureau, the Chongqing Federation of Literary and Art Circles, the People’s Government of Shapingba District, and Sichuan International Studies University, with Chongqing Raffles City serving as a joint organizer. The event is organized by the Chongqing Film Association and coordinated by SISU’s School of Journalism and Communication (Chongqing International Communication School) and the School of International Film and Television Industry.

Vice President of SISU Yan Gongjun delivers remarks.

   Leaders and guests light up the screen.