The 7th Hainan Island International Film Festival (HIIFF) took place from December 3 to 9 in China’s Sanya city, highlighting a significant convergence of cinema and culture. 2025 marks the 130th anniversary of the birth of film globally and the 120th anniversary domestically, and the festival is themed "FROM OCEANS TO THE INFINITE" this year, attracting over 4,500 film submissions from 119 countries and regions.
From cultural resonance within the Thailand Pavilion to intellectual exchanges in masterclasses, from visual dialogues centering on the Global South to artistic visions of an AI future, the weeklong event has witnessed film serving not only as a narrative medium but also as a bridge through which people explore industrial development jointly and connect with diverse civilizations.
Posters of Thai films that have been well-received in the Chinese market, such as “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies” and “Love Destiny”, were displayed prominently, attracting numerous film fans to take photos.
"Film is not just a creative industry; it is a language that transcends borders and brings people closer together," said Ranee Itarat. She noted that Hainan is the ancestral home of many Thai-Chinese, and the combination of kinship and cinematic art has drawn the hearts of the Thai and Chinese people closer.
Hainan’s vision extends beyond bilateral relations to the broader Global South.
"We hope to establish a new ecological cycle for the film economy," said Sun Xianghui, President of the China Taiwan Hong Kong Film Research Association, at a forum under the festival. She released the "2025 China Film Economy Development Research Report," which paid special attention to film industry development in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
Geographically situated in South China, Hainan is now casting its cultural gaze toward a much wider world.
Extending Cultural Horizons
At the Summer Day Shopping Mall’s Experience Central Plaza in Sanya, the air was filled with the scent of Thai spices and crowds gathered in front of the Thailand Pavilion. This marked the first time Thailand has established an official national pavilion at the HIIFF. Taking this opportunity, the festival launched the "50th Anniversary of the Establishment of China-Thailand Diplomatic Relations Film Theme Series Activities."
Disclaimer – The details expressed in this post are from the companies responsible for sending this post for publication. This website doesn’t endorse the details published here. Readers are urged to use their own discretion while making a decision about using this information in any way. There has been no monetary benefit to the Publisher/Editor/Website Owner for publishing this post and the Website Owner takes no responsibility for the impacts of using this information in any way.