BEIJING - A five-day long Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Film Festival was kicked off on Wednesday night with stunning performances in front of a packed audience at a local concert hall in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong province.

The festival, co-hosted by the State Film Administration and Shandong provincial government aims to promote cooperation and exchanges between the member states.

The festival, first of its kind, will screen around 55 movies from SCO countries including five Pakistani films, with more than 200 delegates from eight SCO states in attendance.

Executive vice Minister Publicity Department of CPC Central Committee and Head of State Film Administration of China welcoming the delegations from member’s countries and observer states during the opening ceremony and welcoming banquet. Terming the festival as an important cultural event, he said it would enhance people to people contacts between the SCO member states and help build a community of shared future of mankind.

He informed that China, one of the largest film industries with 55,000 cinema screens, is producing more than 700 films annually and said his country is willing to share its expertise with the film industries of SCO countries.

Pakistan movies to be screened during the film festival include Jawani Phir Nahi Ani, Punjab Nahi Jaungi, Parchi, Bin Roye and Chalay Thay Saath. Kung Fu giant Jackie Chan has been named as the festival’s promotional ambassador and filmmaker Han Sanping will head the jury panel. CEO of Hum TV Channel, Ms. Sultana Siddiqui is representing as a jury member, while the Pakistani delegation is led by Director External Publicity Wing, Ms. Ambreen Jan. Pakistan Ambassador to China, Masood Khalid and Vice Secretary General of SCO, Vladimir Potapenko were present during the opening ceremony.

The movies, all brought by the SCO member states, will allow spectators to feast their eyes and experience different cultures.

The festival organizer will play the movies for over 260 times on 23 screens of nine cinemas in Qingdao.

The SCO Film Festival is the first international film event being held in Qingdao after the place was named ‘City of Film’ by the UNESCO. The festival will present characteristics and charm of the coastal city.

The SCO now includes China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan as full members.