Known for its ancient culture, spicy cuisine and distinctive panda population, Sichuan Province in southwest China added another jewel in its crown when the Second BRICS Film Festival kicked off in the provincial capital Chengdu on June 23, attended by renowned film directors and industry experts from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) as well as senior government officials, media and audiences delighted to see their favorite celebrities up close.

The first day of the film festival, held after the first edition in Goa, India, in 2016, gave audiences stunning glimpses of magnificent locations and the diversity of wild animal species in China, as well as the artistry of Chinese directors with the screening of Born in China.

Directed by Lu Chuan, the documentary that follows the story of three animal families--pandas, golden monkeys and snow leopards--was an apt start since it too is the result of a collaboration between Disneynature and Shanghai Media Group.

"I want to see more movies from different countries," the director told Beijing Review. "I hope Chinese directors can work more with other counterparts in various countries."

Nie Chenxi, head of the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, who is also director of the BRICS Film Festival Organizing Committee, said the aspiration of the film festival was to "create a platform to exhibit film art fruits, and promote film exchanges and cooperation".

"On this platform, we can pass on our common cultural values and film dreams, and enhance mutual respect, mutual tolerance and mutual learning. This way, we can promote the diversity of the world film cultures," he said.

As host of the festival, Sichuan Province also has the opportunity to showcase its industrial and sci-tech advancements as well as its art and culture.

"Sichuan is the starting point of the ancient southern Silk Road, the important portal of the Belt and Road Initiative, and a critical transport corridor for communication with Central Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia," Yin Li, Governor of Sichuan, said. "Sichuan has been keeping close contact with BRICS nations and conducting extensive and in-depth cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, investment and culture."

For Charles Mabaso, Chief Director of Cultural Department at South Africa's Department of Art and Culture, it was his first trip to China, and he said he was impressed by Chengdu's infrastructure and clean environment.

"We are looking at possibilities of signing cooperation documents with other BRICS countries," Mabaso said. "BRICS is a huge market and it's important that we share our stories to capitalize on this market."

He called the BRICS Film Festival an important event to encourage filmmakers and producers to tell their stories and encourage people-to-people relations between the five BRICS countries.

Sankhajeet Biswas, editor of the Indian film Loktak Lairembee (Lady of the Lake) to be screened at the film festival, was hoping that the festival would continue, like other established international film festivals. "Then it will have a real impact," he said. "BRICS is more than an economic bloc. If we can see the cultural expressions of these countries, their films, art and literatures, it will greatly promote cultural and people-to-people exchanges."

During the five-day film festival, one day each is devoted to the films of the five member countries. It will showcase 30 films and include a dialogue on BRICS film cooperation.

A significant development in cooperation is the screening of Where Has Time Gone?, an anthology of five short films by five directors: Walter Moreira Salles (Brazil), Alexey Fedorchenko (Russia), Jia Zhangke (China), Madhur Bhandarkar (India) and Jahmil X.T. Qubeka (South Africa). The five shorts have a universal theme: people's breathless attempts to keep pace with the fast economic and social changes.

(Reporting from Chengdu)