MONTREAL, CANADA, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- The 33rd Montreal World Film Festival (MWFF) kicked off here Thursday.
This edition consists of 400 films from 78 countries in nine categories. Of these, 240 are features, 130 are global or international premieres, and 64 are features by first-time directors.
"It's a very solid lineup...The program that the MWFF is offering this year to the thousands of cinephiles who will soon flock to our venues is once again marked by cultural diversity, a cinema d'auteur, an innovative cinema, and by talent," Festival president Serge Losique said in a statement.
A film produced in Quebec, "1981" was screened as the opening film, which tells about a family's struggles during the economic downturn in 1981.
"The Everlasting Flame Beijing 2008," a documentary directed by Gu Jun about last year's Summer Games, will close the festival on Sept. 7. This official film of the 2008 Beijing Olympics will have its world premieres here.
There are two other Chinese films present at the festival, one is "Weaving Girl," which reveals the hard life of a group of textile factory workers.
The other is "Death Dowry," which also puts its perspective to the lives of the poor in China. Mi Xiang, the heroine, is raising her retarded son by herself after being abandoned by her husband. She remarried a mine worker and all she wished was that the man would die from an accident so that she could get a large amount of compensation. But finally her feelings changed as she witnessed the man's kindness for her and her son...
"Weaving Girl," together with other 19 features, will compete for the Grand Prize of the Americas at the World Competetion category, the highest prize for the festival.
"Death Dowry" will compete for the Gold Zenith prize at the First Films Competetion category.
Founded in 1977, the Montreal World Film Festival is recognized by the International Federation of Film Producers' Associations as the only competitive festival in North America.
