2025 is shaping up to be a landmark year for cinema: the 130th anniversary of the invention of cinema, 120 years of Chinese cinema, and 15 years since the founding of the Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF).
This year, BJIFF takes place between April 18 and 26 in Beijing, and Switzerland has been named as the Guest of Honor, a cultural milestone coinciding with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Switzerland.
More than ten Swiss representatives are attending this year’s festival, including delegates from the Swiss Film Commission, the Zurich Film Festival, and the Geneva International Film Festival. Their presence aims to strengthen the film and cultural ties between the two countries while bringing a touch of alpine flair to China’s thriving cinema scene.
Two prominent figures from the Swiss film industry are serving on this year’s BJIFF juries. Acclaimed filmmaker and actor Vincent Perez joins the Tiantan Award jury, while Cyril Schäublin, director of the internationally acclaimed Unrest, lends his voice to the “Forward Future” section, which encourages creativity, cultural diversity, and new voices in filmmaking, particularly among the younger generation.
To mark the occasion, the festival is launching a Swiss Film Week—one of its major highlights. Six influential Swiss films are scheduled to be screened, including The Courageous directed by Jasmin Gordon, The Sparrow in the Chimney by Ramon Zürcher, and The Landscape and the Fury by Nicole Vögele. Together, they showcase the diversity of Swiss storytelling—from poetic realism and experimental narratives to socially focused dramas.
One Swiss film Frieda’s Case is among this year’s 15 nominees for the Tiantan Award. Based on a true story from 1904, the film stars Julia Buchmann as Frieda, a woman accused of killing her 5-year-old son. Although she confesses early in the film, her family and coworkers stand by her, defending her moral character and viewing her actions as a tragic consequence of desperation. The film evolves into a powerful statement against the death penalty and a call for equal legal rights for men and women—rights that would not be realized in Switzerland until decades later.
This isn’t the first time Swiss films have been spotlighted at the BJIFF’s Tiantan Award. In 2022, Cyril Schäublin’s Unrest won in two categories: Best Artistic Contribution and Best Cinematography. A year before that, Caged Birds, directed by Oliver Rihs and co-produced by Switzerland and Germany, earned a nomination. Slowly but steadily, Swiss cinema is becoming a familiar and welcomed presence at BJIFF.
On the sideline, BJIFF has launched a series of initiatives aiming at fostering international film collaboration. Notable examples include International Lounge, an idea-sharing forum that brings together prominent film selectors from leading global festivals. For filmmakers, it serves as both a networking hub and a master class. Producers, directors, and film companies may pitch their projects directly to these famed selectors. Guests expected this year include Paolo Bertolin, a selection committee member of the Venice International Film Festival, and Giovanna Fulvi, a senior programmer at the Toronto International Film Festival.
To celebrate the 130th anniversary of cinema, BJIFF has selected nine influential films that have helped shape the industry. The lineup includes A Trick of the Light, a tribute to the German Skladanowsky Brothers—inventors of an early film projector, The Last Picture Show, a breakthrough work by American director Peter Bogdanovich, and The Purple Rose of Cairo, recognized as one of the “All-Time 100 Best Films” by “Time” magazine. One Chinese film selected is director Bi Gan’s Long Day’s Journey Into Night, described as a technically masterful and innovative 3D experiment.
For moviegoers, this year’s BJIFF is more than just about watching films—it’s about experiencing them. The Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism has introduced 12 themed travel routes as part of the “China Travel with Chinese Films” initiative, inviting film enthusiasts and tourists to explore the real-life locations behind the stories. These routes range from classic film nostalgia along Beijing’s central axis to behind-the-scenes tours of filming locations in Huairou, industrial park explorations, and even romance trails set along the Great Wall. It’s a creative way to blend cinema with sightseeing—and a testament to the fact that in Beijing, the magic of movies doesn’t end when the credits roll.
In the BJIFF season, cultures meet, stories connect people, and global cinema gets its moment to shine. Whether you’re a filmmaker, a film lover, or just in it for the popcorn, BJIFF proves that storytelling transcends borders—and sometimes even bends the rules of time and space.
