The third Hainan Island International Film Festival lifted its curtain in the coastal city of Sanya, Hainan province on Dec 5 with a "blue carpet" procession and a grand opening gala.

The annual event was co-hosted by China Media Group and the government of Hainan province, and held at the Rosewood Sanya hotel.

Among those appearing were Chinese film director Guan Hu; Hong Kong film director, producer, actor, and screenwriter Wong Jing; director and screenwriter Manfred Wong; visual effects supervisor Christopher Bremble; producer Natacha Devillers and Iranian director and screenwriter Majid Majidi.

Addressing the audience at the grand ceremony, Shen Xiaoming, Party chief of Hainan, noted Hainan has attracted high-quality resources from all over the world, creating favorable conditions for the development of the film industry. He added the island is becoming an important platform for cultural exchanges between China and the West, providing rich nourishment for the development of the film industry.