Chinese Films to Be Shown in Three Russian Cities
On June 8th to 14th, three Russian cities—Moscow, Yekaterinburg, and Vladivostok—will simultaneously hold the International Chinese Film Festival. The event’s organizer is ROSKINO AO in association with the China Film Art Research Center and support from the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and the China Film Administration. Russian viewers will be introduced to some outstanding recent premieres in various genres as well-recognized works of Chinese cinema art.
Annual film festival exchanges between Russian and China are a significant element of cultural cooperation that strengthens humanitarian ties between our countries and widens the dialogue in the sphere of cinema art.
“Russian and Chinese viewers’ mutual interest to the contemporary national cinema art of our countries serves as a confirmation of respect and friendship between our two nations. We are happy to continue the annual tradition of crisscross screenings as part of cultural exchange between Russia and China. Extensive geographic span of screenings will let the viewers from various Russian regions take a peek at the richness of genres in China’s cinema art,” said Olga Lyubimova, the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation.
Russian viewers will be presented with an action film, animation, a historical drama, a comedy, a war film, and a melodrama.
“The Chinese Film Festival gives a magnificent opportunity to appreciate the diversity of the Chinese cinema industry at its high level of development. In 2026, we are happy to continue this cultural exchange that strengthen the humanitarian ties between the two countries,” as pointed out Elza Antonova, the CEO of ROSKINO.
The film to open the festival in Moscow is an adventure comedy The Lychee Road (2025, directed by Da Peng) based on the same-title novel by Ma Boyong telling a story of a unnoticeable public official whose life changes when he is proposed a desirable post of a lychee ambassador. Success at this job will bring him wealth, glory, and full change of fate; if he fails, however, he can lose even more than that. The film will be presented by the film general producer Li Yaping.
The film to open the festival in Yekaterinburg is an action movie with thriller elements starring Jackie Chan, The Shadow’s Edge (2025, directed by Larry Yang) that follows an unrivaled tracking expert Wong Tak-chung who must catch an unstoppable band of thieves. As, due to the capabilities of the modern surveillance technologies, the groups of outdoor surveillance had been long closed, Wong has to teach his young colleagues from scratch, and the one he distinguishes is He Qiuguo, his late partner’s daughter. The film will be presented to the viewers by actor Li Zhekun.
In Vladivostok, the film to open the program is the film that won the award for the best film in the Chinese language of the 41st Hong-Kong Cinema Awards, In Search of Lost Time (2022, directed by Derek Yee). The film is based on real events and tells a moving story of three thousand orphans from the Chinese Southern regions who barely survived and were adopted and raised by residents of China’s autonomous region in the late 1950s. The film will be presented by the opening film’s starring actress, Ma Su.
Moreover, the Chinese delegation that is coming to Russia to participate in the Festival includes the director of Film Admiration of the Chinese People’s Republic Xiaohui Wang, deputy director of the Digital Resource Management Directorate of the China Film Art Research Center, Liu Yuyhao, the archivist of the registry of the China Film Art Research Center Zhang Yuenan, the archivist of Planning and Information Department of the China Film Art Research Center Li Wang Dzyao, as well as the president of the Fenix Legend Films Company and the general producer of the Enjoy Your Journey film, Jiang Hao.
Other films on the Festival Program:
Chang An (2023, directed by Zou Jing). Colorful animated film that follows the warlord Gao Shi who, when having a break in between battles, tells a story of his friendship with Li Bai in the Golden Age of the Tan dynasty, how striving for ideals in literature and politics first made them close and then broke them apart.
Gezhi Town (2025, directed by Kong Sheng). A war drama that follows Mo De Xian whose family runs away to the mountains with a caravan of refugees and stays in a town of Gezhi, next to the commander of antiaircrafters, Xiao Yan and his troop. Peaceful life is ruined when a Japanese reconnaissance unit appears. The residents don’t want to give in and take a desperate fight to defend their home.
Enjoy Your Journey (2026, directed by Kumi Nari). A recent premiere in melodramatic genre about Mao Mingji and Fu Zhen’s encounter in Lhasa where they both came with friends to set out for the Everest base camp. Having overcome many challenges, they both have a deep and sincere feeling for one another but don’t dare to confess it until the end of the journey.
“It’s a big honor for me to be the one presenting our two works: Search for the Lost Time and Enjoy Your Journey as well as to become a part of this film celebration with all the others. Let the art that has no borders give us its warmth and unite people. I wish this Russian and Chinese Film Festival to be brilliantly successful!” Ma Su commented.
Besides the projects from the Celestial Empire, the Festival will feature the films that have already won our country’s love: a film of Russian and Chinese co-production, telling a story of transporting secret documents that were to determine the future for the USSR and China, Red Silk, and Russian film about the heroic defense of the Brest Fortress His Name Was Not Listed.
“It’s not the first year when the Gazprom Media Holding has participated in the Chinese Film Festival in Russia. Such projects are of great significance for Russia and China’s intercultural development. We are systematically building up our cooperation with our partners from China and we express our gratitude to ROSKINO and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation for including the Holding’s film, He Was not on the Lists, to the program of the festival. I’m confident that each of the films presented will find its audience,” commented Alexander Zharov, the CEO of the Gazprom Media Holding.
“Red Silk has become one the most noticeable international Russian and Chinese film projects in the recent years. It has gained the status of a national film both in Russia and China and, thanks to distribution in China, become the most successful Russian film abroad in 2025. The film has been sold to dozens of countries around the world and won some prestigious Russian and international awards. Now, we’re extending the film’s universe by releasing of the sequel, Black Silk, and we’re confident that our new project will become a worthy continuation of the franchise’s success on both Russian and international markets,” pointed out Svetlana Balanova, the CEO of the National Media Group.
The reciprocal event to be held is the Russian Film Festival in the Celestial Empire: the screenings will take place this year.
Reference
ROSKINO is a state organization presenting the Russian audio and visual industry at international festivals and film markets. 100% of the company's shares belong the Federal Agency for State Property Management. In 2024, ROSKINO celebrated its 100th anniversary as the legal successor of Sovexportfilm created in 1924. More details: www.roskino.org
