Cai Fuchao (1st left), Sun Anmin (2nd left), Feng Jianzhong (3rd left) and Wang Wei (1st right) jointly open the film week.

Zhang Yimou (middle) appears at the opening ceremony.

Fireworks at the ceremony

As part of the fourth "Beijing 2008" Olympic Cultural festival, the second Beijing International Sports Film Week was opened on Monday.

The opening ceremony was held at the China film Museum, where over 180 sports and film dignitaries including Zhang Yimou, chief director of the opening and closing ceremonies of the 29th Olympic Games appeared.

During the week, 26 films from eight countries will be shown at six cinemas of Beijing. Besides, the film channel of China Central Television (CCTV) will offer sports-themed films.

Projection teams will bring digital films to several Beijing neighborhoods and construction sites of the Olympic projects. Some renowned Chinese film directors will gather in Beijing to share with watchers their opinions about the film and the Olympics.

The organizers called on participants to go on line, read newspapers or send short messages to get information, vote for favorite films and make comments.

Organized by the State General Administration of Radio, Film and Television, the General Administration of Sport and the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG), the film week is to spread the Olympic spirit and the concepts of the Beijing Olympic Games as well as promote the exchange between the Chinese and foreign film companies and the development of the film industry.

The first sports film week was successfully held in 2005.