The film industry can bring opportunities to a slew of related business areas, such as exhibition, tourism, hotels and shopping; more than that, it contributes the most to the cultural side of a city like Beijing.

The effect of films and its related industries in generating social and economic benefits, actually, is much bigger than what we can expect. Statistics show that one yuan worth box office can at most generate 10 yuan worth value in related industries. The economic benefit is huge, but for Beijing, the country's capital city, which has a long history and brilliant culture, what is even more valuable lies in the role of the movie sector in building up the capital's international image and the many social benefits it can bring.

The 5th Beijing International Film Festival, on April 16-23. [Photo provided to?China Daily]

"The film festival can show the culture of a city, and it is also the integration of the city's cultural and economic development," said Li Chunliang, vice-chairman of the organizing committee of the 5th Beijing International Film Festival, which was held on April 16-23.

Beijing is China's cultural centre, which means it should take the lead in helping upgrade cultural industry in the country. The Beijing International Film Festival is just one of the moves the city takes to build its cultural industry into a pillar supporting its overall development. The festival can gather industrial professionals, organizations and high-quality films from all over the world and draw global attention to the ancient capital. Such an effect is irreplaceable as Beijing pushes its cultural and creative industries to help restructure the local economy.

Beijing is the birthplace of Chinese films and the local movie industry has a history of more than 100 years. Now the city has had an industrial cluster centered on the movie industry, which provides a foundation for the city to hold an international film festival and make it known to the world in just five years.

It has now become an honor for many film makers to participate in the Beijing film festival, because the festival can meet their real needs, such as extended publicity, increased exposure, more chances to know people, and search for solutions for movie investment and production.

"More moviegoers participated in the festival, as attendance for many films was really high during the festival's film panorama," said Zhao Zhiyong, deputy secretary-general of the festival's organizing committee. "To make the Beijing International Film Festival a symbol of Beijing, we need to attract people of different ages to participate in the event, and try efforts to enable all people to know it, join it and like it."

China Millennium Monument is one venue of the 5th Beijing International Film Festival, on April 16-23. [Photo provided to China Daily]