The opening ceremony for the 16th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) took place at the Yanqi Lake International Convention & Exhibition Center in Beijing’s Huairou district on Thursday. A total of 1,826 full-length feature films from 139 countries and regions will compete for the Tiantan Awards, the official competition section of the festival. The annual festival will build a bridge for dialogue between Chinese cinema and the world, showcase the diversity of global film cultures, facilitate efficient connection of industry resources, and promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.