The 15th Beijing International Film Festival's "Beijing Film Panorama" will take place as scheduled this April.

The 2025 film panorama section has achieved further innovation and expansion in program planning and screening scale compared to previous years, aiming to create a richer, more diverse, and more professional yet accessible “Beijing Film Panorama” - Springtime, come to Beijing to experience the world's best films! This is our enduring promise, forever captured in the spirit of cinema.

“Beijing Film Panorama” will feature nearly 300 selected classic works and the latest popular films from around the world. These films will be screened intensively from April 18 to 27 at 34 cooperating cinemas and venues.

First, the highly anticipated official selection of Tiantan Award and all entries for the “Forward Future” section will be publicly screened, allowing audiences to be the first to enjoy all selected films in the competition sections.

Marking the 120th anniversary of Chinese cinema as a starting point, the “Special Screenings” section will present “120 Years of Chinese Cinema”, offering a systematic review of the evolution of the domestic film industry from technological innovation to cultural consciousness. This year, Daguanlou Cinema, one of Beijing's earliest film screening venues, has joined the cinema lineup. Daguanlou Cinema will screen 10 Peking Opera films, inviting audiences to revisit the birthplace of China film and trace its glorious history.

2025 also marks the 130th anniversary of the birth of cinema worldwide. To celebrate this, BJIFF launches a special program titled “Cinema in Self-Portrait”, with the concept of “film documenting its own history”. This program will showcase masterpieces such as The Purple Rose of Cairo and Shirin, which embody cinephile spirit, chronicle film history, and envision the future of film.

On the significant 80th anniversary of the World Anti-Fascist War victory, the “Special Screenings” section will present a thematic program titled “Cinema and Peace”. Films such as Shoah, The Thin Red Line, and Downfall - powerful works reflecting on war, will be screened. Spanning centuries, it aims to ring the world peace bell forged through film.

The “BJIFF 15th Anniversary·Tiantan Image” theme reviews the memorable moments from BJIFF's 15-year journey through dual perspectives of archival documents and Tiantan Award winning works, showcasing abundant achievements of Tiantan Award.

The “Premieres” section provides a stage for new Chinese and international films with the potential to enter the Chinese market, offering film enthusiasts the opportunity to engage face-to-face with filmmakers.

The “Filmmaker in Focus” section of this year's Beijing Film Panorama focuses on the key figure in contemporary British cinema, Andrea Arnold, emerging Japanese director Kaori Oda, and young director Zhu Xin, representative of the recent “Hangzhou New Wave” in Chinese cinema. The latest works of these three filmmakers will be screened at the BJIFF.

The “Oasis” section, newly established in 2025, aims to inspire creative exchanges among filmmakers from around the world by showcasing groundbreaking works such as the live-action Cells at Work! and Volveréis. These films push the boundaries of genre and aim to support local film production and market expansion.

The “Dimension” section, with its avant-garde perspective, will present films like Phantosmia that explore cinematic aesthetics.

The “Screen/Off” section will explore the diverse future of movie theaters by presenting a variety of content including the TV series In the Shadows and the live performance Hans Zimmer & Friends: Diamond in the Desert.

The “Women's Voice” section will feature compelling female themed films such as When Fall Is Coming and Hard Truths.

The “Reality Rocks” section will showcase outstanding documentaries from China and abroad, including Afternoons of Solitude, Here Children Do Not Play Together, and Ms. Hu's Garden.

The “Animation” section will screen new animated features like The Hourglass Sanatorium and classics such as Lilo & Stitch. Notably, the TV animation Black Cat Detective, which accompanied generations of Chinese audiences, will also be screened.

The “Vision” section will feature overseas award-winning films and popular new releases like The Return and Super Happy Forever. It will also include special programs such as "Switzerland Film Week", “Japan Film Week”, “Australia Film Week”, and “B&R Asian Vision” to showcase the latest cinematic works from around the world.

The “Chinese Cinema Power” section will present new Chinese films such as Story of Cotton Field and Stars and the Moon, alongside Hong Kong classics like Swordsman and A Chinese Odyssey.

The “Master Retrospective” section will present works from three heavyweight filmmakers, including Robert Altman's centennial, director of legendary Czech films Jirí Menzel, and a premiere commemorative retrospective themed around film movements. On the 30th anniversary of the “Dogma 95” movement, this section will take audiences through the pioneering moments of film. Many films in this section will be screened in newly restored 4K versions.

The “Homage-Restoration” section highlights cutting-edge film restoration techniques worldwide, featuring classics like North by Northwest and The Meetings of Anna in new 4K restorations. Meanwhile, this year's “Homage” section specifically focuses on film creations from the “Global South”, screening rare classics such as the Iranian film The Sealed Soil and the African cinematic masterpiece Sambizanga.

The “Homage-Commemoration” section will feature films of historical significance, including Die for Loving and Chaplin: Spirit of the Tramp, alongside a special thematic program “In Memory of Andrei Tarkovsky” to honor the cinematic master.

The “Midnight Thrill” section under the “Carnival” will feature new global films like The Old Woman with the Knife alongside classics such as Se7en and Cronos. This section will also feature themes like the "Universal Classic Monsters and Thrillers Series" to delight cinephiles.

This year's “Beijing Film Panorama” will continue its collaboration with the Beijing International Sports Film Week, screening sports-themed films like Eephus and Julie Keeps Quiet to deliver unforgettable viewing experiences.

Additionally, the forward-looking “XR Section”, dedicated to immersive image, will be upgraded to the “Boundless ∞ Immersive Section”, inviting audiences to explore the possibilities of future film. Mr. Huang Bo, an excellent actor and director who has made outstanding contributions to the Chinese film industry, as well as a cutting-edge and crossover artist, will be the guest curator of this section.

Compared to previous years, this year sees significant increases in both the number of works and exhibition spaces of the “XR Section”. Over 40 works under the theme “Galaxy of Film” will be screened, spanning diverse technological formats such as VR, AR, MR, large-scale VR environments, triple screens, panoramic screens, and immersive interactive installations, further enriching and expanding perception and understanding of future image and technology. Audiences will not only enjoy outstanding global XR works like Ito Meikyū (winner of the 2024 Venice Immersive Grand Prize) and Mobile Suit Gundam: Silver Phantom (the world's first VR animated feature), but also enjoy immersive image works by artists Xu Bing, Fei Jun, and Huang Bo, alongside college students' works created around the theme of “120th Anniversary of China Film”.

The list of partner cinemas for “Beijing Film Panorama” section of the 15th Beijing International Film Festival has been further upgraded, featuring 33 participating theaters and one immersive cinema. Multiple cinemas are providing support with several screening halls to facilitate concentrated viewing for film enthusiasts. Additionally, “Beijing Film Panorama” will expand its reach by including screening venues in Shijiazhuang and Tianjin, serving film fans across the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

A wondrous journey of film is about to begin! The 15th Beijing International Film Festival's “Beijing Film Panorama” section will unveil the charm of cinematic art through fresh perspectives, accompanying audiences through an extraordinary cinematic experience.