Lights! Camera! Action! Shanghai film festival kicks off
Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi poses for photos at the opening of the 22nd Shanghai International Film Festival.
The curtain was raised on the 22nd Shanghai International Film Festival on Saturday at the Shanghai Grand Theater with a star-studded red carpet and grand opening ceremony.
Among the local and international stars treading the red carpet were the cast of the new Shanghai production, "The Climbers," about China's first mountaineers to conquer the world's highest peak, Mount Qomolangma, or Mount Everest.
The Chinese team summited in 1960, seven years after Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, but they were the first to do so from the more difficult North Face, in China.
The film stars Wu Jing, Zhang Ziyi and Zhang Yi.
Wu, known for his impressive performance in "Wolf Warriors," said that the film portrays the never-yielding spirit of Chinese climbers and it was also a challenging experience for him to shoot a film on Qomolangma.
Wu is also the promotion ambassador of this year's fest.
Director Teng Huatao brought his new sci-fi blockbuster "Shanghai Fortress," a story of mankind's efforts to protect the earth from alien invaders.
Chinese actress Tang Wei said that she is excited to have many action scenes in "The Whistleblowers," the latest offering by director Xue Xiaolu.
Renowned Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan is the jury president for the main competition of this year's Golden Goblet Awards. Fifteen films are in the running.
The festival will also honor excellent documentary, animation and short films.
Mainland filmmaker Ning Hao, jury president of the fest’s Asian New Talent Award, said he will judge mainly on the creativity and passion of young filmmakers.
The opening film this year is “Beautiful Voyage,” a tale about ordinary people's youth, dreams and love during the 1980s.
The festival runs through June 24, with discussion forums, competitions and a film market.
The cast of "Wild Goose Lake"
Chinese actress Tang Wei
