Hala China, the joint initiative by Meraas and Dubai Holding, today announced it will host the second China Film Week at Roxy Cinemas at City Walk and The Beach from 29 September to 5 October.

Some of Chinese film’s biggest movie stars and directors are expected to fly in for the glamourous red-carpet opening night of the event on 29 September. Among the directors heading to Dubai are Zhang Jizhong, acclaimed director known for film adaptations of classic Chinese “wuxia” literary texts Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Journey to the West, Tang Jili – better known as Stanley Ton – known for his collaborations with Jackie Chan including Rumble in the Box, and Tian Yusheng, who brings his latest film, The Ex File 3: Return of the Exes, to Dubai for an exclusive screening.

And the film and tv stars touching down in Dubai for the prestigious opening night include Chen Jianbin, esteemed for his portrayal of Cao Cao in Zhang Jizhong’sThree Kingdoms, Jiang Qinqin, the Golden Phoenix Award-winning actress of My Sister’s Dictionary, Han Geng, lead actor in Tian Yusheng’s The Ex File 3: Return of the Exes, Zhang Lanxin, known for her breakout role in Chinese action-comedy CZ12, Clara Lee Korean-American actress and model from Japanese movie Ask this of Rikyu, and He Hongshan, lead actress from Legend of the Phoenix.

What’s more, the worldwide premier of Chinese Captain, the film adaption of the real-life events of the Sichuan Airlines forced landing in 2018, will be screened on the opening night of China Film Week in Dubai – the same day it is screened in China for the first time.

The premier of Chinese Captain will follow an exclusive red-carpet gala dinner hosted at City Walk, where VIP guests will be treated to performances from Chinese singer and ehru (stringed instrument known as the “Chinese violin”) musician Alan Dawazhuoma and Spotlight, the Thai boy band from Chinese reality music tv show “Produce 101”. During the gala evening, guests will be treated to traditional Emirati and Chinese dance performances, in a symbolic show of the cultural exchanges between the UAE and China.

This year’s China Film Week will also see the introduction of the first China-UAE Film and Television Forum on 30 September at Madinat Jumeriah which includes an exhibition of over 100 photographs that chronicle the Chinese film industry’s evolution over the last 70 years.

Sheikh Majid Al Mualla, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Hala China, said: “Since Hala China launched this event last year, we have witnessed extraordinary levels of interest and collaboration between Dubai and China. Not only have we catalysed investments in new and emerging industries, but crucially, cultural exchanges have been taken to another level, as China Film Week is testament to.

He added: “As China’s film industry grows, so does the UAE’s. Together, there is much we can offer each other; with China’s film industry a model of homegrown success and the UAE’s world-class infrastructure, state-of-the-art production and post production facilities.”

Supported by the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China, China Film Administration and Dubai Film and TV commission , the 2019 China Film Week in Dubai takes place as the People’s Republic of China celebrates its 70th anniversary, as well as marking the 35th year since the UAE and China began a diplomatic relationship that has since flourished. Further, the event will be held during China’s National Day holiday, known as Golden Week (1 – 7 October, 2019).

His Excellency Li Xuhang, Consul-General of the People’s Republic of China in Dubai, said: “With a positive response and wide acclaim, Chinese Film Week in Dubai has already played an essential role in cultural exchanges. This year, as part of the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the UAE, the second edition of China Film Week reflects not only Dubai’s effort to promote friendship and cultural exchanges, but also the great potential and opportunities for cooperation between our two countries.”

Ten popular Chinese blockbusters will be screened throughout the week, including How Long will I love you, Hold your Hands, and The Photographer. In 2018, China’s cinema audience became the biggest in the world, and its unprecedented growth in the past decade has been driven by rising demand for quality entertainment. The films screening in Dubai for the week have been part of a huge, recent success in China’s film industry. It is currently valued at US$11.05 billion, according to projections from PricewaterhouseCoopers. And in 2020, China’s fast-growing sales at the box office will exceed that of the US by US$12.28 billion to US$11.93 billion.

China Film Week in Dubai is an integral part of Hala China’s broad ambition to attract the growing Chinese outbound traveller market to Dubai, including those travelling to the region during Golden Week. The Meraas-Dubai Holding initiative also aims to give the 250,000+ Chinese expats living in UAE reasons to feel at home.

In its first year, Hala China organised an array of high-profile events and activities which have seen the Chinese community in the UAE, Chinese businesses entering Middle East markets, explore and open-up new and exciting opportunities. The highlights of the year have included the first Chinese Film Week in Dubai, the largest Chinese New Year celebrations hosted outside of China, Dubai Fashion Days, a photography-art exhibition in China “Through Chinese Eyes”, ‘The Silk, Tea and Celadon: An Intercultural Dialogue on the Silk Road and the first Chinese Group Wedding at Dubai’s picturesque Love Lake.

Ten subtitled films will be screened during China Film Week in Dubai from 29 September – 5 October.