8th Beijing Int'l Film Festival to kick off

This year's Beijing International Film Festival is set to kick off later today.

328 films will be screened during the week-long event.

Visitors attend the film carnival of the 8th Beijing International Film Festival in Beijing on Saturday, April 14, 2018. [Photo: IC]

Nearly 100 different events are going to be held across the city, with the goal this year to try to lure younger people into the theatres for screenings of domestic Chinese-language films.

Lin Siwei is one of the organizers of the film festival.

"This year marks the 40th anniversary of reform and opening-up. We have a subcategory called 'Beijing Stories', which allows young audience members to understand films about Beijing over the past 30 to 40 years. The changes in Beijing can best illustrate the course of China's development. Inherit the classics and show the best and latest films to the audience -- this is what the film festival should do."

15 films have been shortlisted for the Tiantan Award.

They have been selected from more than 650 submissions from 71 countries and regions.

Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai is heading this year's jury panel.

Among the 15 in contention for the top prize are domestic productions "Hold Your Hands" and "Operation Red Sea."