The 2025 China-Africa Film Week opened on Thursday in Changsha, Hunan province.

The week features five main events: the opening ceremony, China-Africa film screenings, the China-Africa film development forum, a creative exchange tour for filmmakers, and a China-Africa film music night.

Using cinema as a cultural bridge, this event seeks to deepen exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and African filmmakers.

The opening feature, Yesterday, is a South African film nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 77th Academy Awards. It has been described as a heartfelt tribute to the power of storytelling.

From Thursday to Monday, China-Africa film screenings are taking place across six cinemas in Changsha, featuring four thematic sections and 24 exceptional films from China and Africa.

Abdisalam Ali, foreign minister of Somalia, said film offers a unique kind of diplomacy, reinforcing mutual empathy. When Chinese audiences see Somali or African faces and stories, they see themselves. That mutual recognition is a foundation for peace and progress, he said.

Each story offers a path toward deeper understanding, stronger friendship, and a future shaped by the shared language of humanity, he added.

Zhu Youfang contributed to the story.