About us

The EU-China Film Festival (EUCNFF) was founded in Brussels in 2015 as a film festival jointly supported by both China and the European Union. Registered as a non-profit organization in Belgium, it has gradually developed into a key platform for cultural dialogue, film presentation, and people-to-people exchange between the two regions.

Over the past decade, the festival has established a comprehensive structure that integrates annual film screenings, international dialogues, the EU-China Youth Film Festival, and the “Meet+” International Communication Platform. Together, these components form a sustainable ecosystem that connects governments, cultural institutions, universities, creative industries, and audiences across Europe and China.

Guided by the theme of “Making friends with the world through film,” the festival is committed to presenting outstanding Chinese and European cinema, promoting cross-cultural understanding, and exploring innovative approaches to international communication. Each year, it brings together policymakers, filmmakers, scholars, students, and the general public for screenings, forums, masterclasses, and cultural programs in Brussels and other European cities.

With the support of a wide range of Chinese and European partners, the EU-China Film Festival has grown into a dynamic platform for cultural exchange and film cooperation. Our partners include Communication University of China, CICG Center for Europe and Africa, Nouvelles d’Europe Cultural Media Group, Chinese Cultural Society Belgium, Brussels China Cultural Center, EU-China Youth Culture & Arts Development Committee, EU-China Joint Innovation Center, Secretariat of the Belt and Road News Network (BRNN), Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Royal Institute for Theatre, Cinema and Sound (RITCS), Shanghai Film Academy of Shanghai University, Shanghai Vancouver Film School, School of International Education of Nanjing University of the Arts, EU-China Business Association (EUCBA), Beijing Eco-kids Public Welfare Development Center, Phoenix Show, Filmandcom, China Today magazine, Edko Films (Beijing) Distribution Co., Ltd., and Broadway Cinematheque, among others.

Together with these institutions, the festival continues to foster dialogue, promote cultural understanding, and build long-term collaboration between China and Europe through the art of cinema.

Past Editions of the EU-China Film Festival

2015
The first EU-China Film Festival was held at the Cinéma Galeries in the Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries, Brussels. Representatives from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Education and Culture, the Belgium-China Economic and Trade Commission, RTBF (Belgian National Television), and Cinematek (Royal Belgian Film Archive) attended the opening. Films screened included Brotherhood of Blades, Blind Massage, The Nightingale, Police Diary, The Great Hypnotist, No Man’s Land, Fleet of Time, and Silent Witness.

2016
The second EU-China Film Festival, together with the inaugural EU-China Youth Film Festival, took place at the Flagey Art Center Cinema in Brussels. It was hosted by the Brussels China Cultural Center with the support of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Education and Culture. Princess Esmeralda of Belgium delivered a speech at the opening, emphasizing Europe’s eagerness to strengthen cooperation with China in culture and the arts. Films screened included Song of the Phoenix, The Master, River Road, Qigong, Na Mei, Saving Mr. Wu, Third Pole, and Monkey King: Hero is Back.

2017
The third EU-China Film Festival was held at the Flagey Art Center Cinema in Brussels, organized by the EU-China Film Festival Organizing Committee, Communication University of China, China Children’s Film Association, and the China-Europe Cultural & Arts Festival. Distinguished guests included director Lu Chuan and representatives from the European cultural sector. Films screened included Born in China, Wolf Warrior 2, Paths of the Soul, and Cycling Angels.

2018
The fourth EU-China Film Festival took place at the Flagey Art Center Cinema in Brussels, hosted by the Organizing Committee together with Communication University of China and the China Children’s Film Association, with support from the Brussels China Cultural Center and the EU-Asia Centre. Attendees included Dr. Piet Steel, Director of the EU-Asia Centre, along with figures from the Belgian cultural community and local universities. Films screened included Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings, Taste of Rice Flower, Ala Changso, Village Opera, Our Shining Days, Operation Red Sea, and Lin Sister Falls from Heaven.

2019
The fifth EU-China Film Festival was held at the Flagey Art Center Cinema in Brussels, organized by the EU-China Film Festival Committee, Communication University of China, and the China Children’s Film Association, with support from the Brussels China Cultural Center, the EU-China Friendship Group of the European Parliament, and the EU-China Joint Innovation Center. Films screened included The Wandering Earth, The Long March, Aida, and Running Boy.

2024
The sixth EU-China Film Festival was held at Cinéma Aventure in Brussels, organized by the EU-China Film Festival Committee, Communication University of China, and Nouvelles d’Europe Cultural Media Group, with support from the Brussels China Cultural Center and Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB). Films screened included Snow Leopard, Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms, Only the River Flows, Falling into the Flames, Table for Six, and Into the Dust.

The “Meet China” Special Section was also presented in Brussels and Paris, with participation from Belgian art historian Antonio Nardone, faculty and students from Université libre de Bruxelles and Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, representatives from Nouvelles d’Europe Cultural Media Group and France’s Fleur Productions, as well as documentary director Karim Houfaidi. Screenings included Riding the Train in China: The Road to Opening, Digital Adventures of China Travel, Living in China: Olivier Grandjean, Xinjiang Is a Wonderful Land, Walking with Elephants in China, and Decoding Chinese Cultural Genes: Season 2 – The Mongolian Horse.