From cultural market fairs to cutting-edge AI workshops, the 14th Beijing International Film Festival has gone beyond showcasing films to become a global celebration of creativity and innovation.

The festival also provides a platform for various countries to showcase their film technologies or unique filming locations.
"It's a great opportunity that we have a presence here to promote filming in Thailand. And others were also interesting I think I saw Barcelona, Malaysia and also Korea, so I [there are quite a few more] countries participating," said Panidapa Suankaew, chief of Film Business Promotion at Thailand Film Office.
The stunning ratio of international participants at the event has left an impression on showbusiness insiders hoping to build international connections.
"What I saw today was amazing because we know there are so many international film festivals with a long [history], but they don't have the participation like Beijing International Film Festival. 108 countries offer all the tools which you need to produce. And I also saw so many activities, movies and workshops," said Khaled Orabi, managing editor and business development director of Muscat Media Group.
Among the workshops, an AI session stands as one of the most popular among attendees.
"The synthetic virtual technology showcased here is a collaboration between our company and the University of Science and Technology of China. We merge reality and virtual data using AI models to recreate classic film and television figures," said Liu Ji, CEO and founder of Beijing Lingjing Superstar Technology.
It is the first time that the Beijing International Film Festival has introduced a unit featuring AI technology, providing a platform for creators to showcase their latest developments and offering inspiration for those curious about AI.
Other international visitors expressed surprise at the sheer volume and quality of festival activities.
"I was very excited, because I know I was sure that I will witness many interesting things. But really, believe me, it was more than my expectation," said Mahnaz Abdi, economic editor of Tehran Times Daily.
"Knowing more about their cinematography, the techniques, the evolution, the technology, the innovation, it's good to keep us updated," said Aastha Gobin, a journalist for Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation.
Beyond the excitement surrounding films and AI technology, the Beijing International Film Festival is also an excellent destination for simply having fun from live bands to tempting food.