Xu Tao, executive deputy secretary-general of the festival's organizing committee, says the event marks the first time Yates — who is best known for directing the last four Harry Potter and three Fantastic Beasts films — will serve as juror of an international film festival.

She adds that all seven jurors have collectively won 39 awards at A-list international film festivals, bringing this event's 15-year cumulative total to 508 awards won by jury panel members, further solidifying its credentials.

Ten Tiantan awards will be shortlisted from the 15 nominated films, which in turn were chosen from 1,794 submissions from 103 countries and regions, a remarkable 18.9 percent increase on last year's 1,509 films.

Three Chinese movies have earned nominations: actress Ma Li's Better Me, Better You, about a rural carer's bond with an elderly woman; Deep in the Mountains, which follows a police officer's investigation into multiple crimes; Trapped, the account of a small town's fight against 44 armed gangsters.

Other nominated foreign films also include Apollo by Day Athena by Night (Turkiye), BAUS: The Ship's Voyage Continues (Japan) and Frieda's Case (Switzerland).