娱乐英语新闻:China embraces French culture in spring

BEIJING, April 9 (Xinhuanet) -- The annual Franco-Chinese "Croisements 2011" cultural festival kicked off in Beijing's Sanlitun Village Thursday night, accompanying an opening ceremony for the 8th Annual French Cinema Panorama.

Sylvie Bermann (Bai Lin), France's new ambassador to China, said the festival was the largest-scale cultural exchange event outside France. It features more than 183 cultural events, including dance, theater, music and exhibitions, in 25 cities around China from April 7 to June 30.

As the most important event to promote newly produced French films in China, the 8th French Cinema Panorama jointly presented by uniFrance, an organization that promotes French movies abroad, and the French Embassy in cooperation with China's State Administration of Radio, Film and Television will screen 10 recently released feature films and 10 short films, said Antoine de Clermont-Tonnerre, President of uniFrance.

French filmmakers and actors along with Chinese filmmakers attend the opening ceremony for the 8th Annual French Cinema Panorama on Thursday, April 7, 2011.

Marking its sixth year, the Festival Croisements will also introduce several innovative artistic forms not previously seen in China. Innovative programs that include audience interaction, such as contemporary circuses, new media exhibitions and street performances, will offer the Chinese different artistic experiences by getting them more involved in the activities, said Xavier Darcos, President of the Institut Francais, a French overseas cultural organization.

In addition, the first season of Baroque music to be performed in China will take place in Beijing and Wuhan. The event will introduce this great musical legacy covering European works written between 1600 and 1750.

Born in 2006 of a shared desire by French and Chinese authorities to maintain the momentum gained during "Annees Croisees France-China" artistic collaboration, the annual Festival Croisements presents a quality artistic program spanning more than two months.