The film Chang’an, Xi’an Won the Highest Award at the 30th Minsk International Film Festival

On the evening of November 8, the 30th Minsk International Film Festival concluded at the Palace of the Republic in Belarus. The Chinese film Chang’an, Xi’an, produced by Shaanxi Provincial Committee Member Shi Jia, with Hu Die and Yu Ting as producers, directed by China’s national first-class director Zhang Zhong, supervised and written by renowned Iranian director Narges Abyar, and starring well-known actors Chen Sisi, Cao Jun, and Alima, received the festival’s highest award in the main competition section—Golden Award for Best Feature Film in the Season of Falling Leaves.

Producer Shi Jia Accepted the Award on Behalf of The Film Crew. (Image Courtesy of Belarus National Television)

The film Chang’an, Xi’an was co-produced by CRI Online, Xi’an Port Cultural and Sports Industry Development Co., Ltd., and Shaanxi Butterfly Effect Entertainment Media Co., Ltd. Set against the backdrop of the Chang’an International Tourism Express, the film tells a story of cross-cultural love and dreams through the eyes of a Kazakh student named Ayanna. It skillfully intertwines tradition and modernity, East and West, love and aspiration, creating a narrative space that feels both timeless and contemporary.

Director Zhang Zhong on the Set of Chang’an, Xi’an. (Photo by Liu Honghua)

Gromada, First Deputy Minister of Culture of Belarus, noted that the Minsk International Film Festival received a record-breaking 3,405 entries from 124 countries, including Italy, Spain, India, Iran, Russia, and China. He attended the event along with Mao Yu, Executive Deputy Director of China Film Administration, Zhang Wenchuan, Chinese Ambassador to Belarus, and actor Zhang Yi.

The Chinese Film Delegation at the Minsk International Film Festival (Image Courtesy of Belarus National Television)

The Minsk International Film Festival is one of the major competitive film festivals in the Baltic, Central Asian, and Central and Eastern European regions, recognized by FIAPF. The first festival was held in 1994 and has been held annually since. Previously, Chinese director Jia Zhangke’s films Mountains May Depart and Ash Is Purest White received the Silver Award for Best Feature Film in the Season of Falling Leaves and the Best Actress Award.