BEIJING, Oct. 9 (Xinhua Silk Road) -- A packed cinema in central Brussels fell quiet as the scenes of the Chinese film The Shadow's Edge unfolded on screen on Sept. 29, 2026. When the lights came back on, conversations quickly filled the room as audiences discussed the story while making their way out.
"I really liked the film. Chinese movies have left a deep impression on me," an audience member told Xinhua.
The screening of The Shadow's Edge was the closing event of the eighth EU-China Film Festival, held in Brussels from Sept. 23 to 29. The films presented at the festival ranged from dramas and family stories to documentaries and action films.
For European viewers, these films can provide an accessible entry point into China's film industry. Bernards A. Zako, an expert in international cultural cooperation, said cinema could contribute to a more accurate understanding of Chinese culture.
But the festival was about more than bringing Chinese films to European audiences. Screenings were accompanied by post-film discussions, a youth film program and the "MEET CHINA" international communication program, creating opportunities for filmmakers, cultural organizations and audiences to meet and exchange ideas.
That combination points to a changing approach to the international presentation of Chinese cinema. Sending a film abroad is only the first step. The more difficult task is to create opportunities for audiences to understand the people, emotions and social experiences behind the images.
At the film festival, filmmakers and audiences had opportunities to discuss what they had seen, ask questions and explain different perspectives. Such exchanges can help audiences move beyond unfamiliar settings and cultural references, while also giving filmmakers a better understanding of how their work is perceived by viewers from different backgrounds.
For Zako, that two-way interaction is essential. Cultural exchange, he said, should involve "reciprocity" -- not simply one side presenting its culture to the other, but both sides participating in, sharing and gaining something.
The same principle can apply beyond the screening room, as exchanges between filmmakers, cultural institutions and young professionals create opportunities for longer-term cooperation. German computer graphics and visual-effects expert Thomas Kutschera, for example, spoke about how technological changes such as artificial intelligence are reshaping filmmaking, while emphasizing that "storytelling itself has to be driven by people." (Contributed by Huang Xiaolan)
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