HAIKOU, July 31./TASS/. The "Italian Summer".film festival kicked off on the Island of Hainan. The opening ceremony took place on Dadonghai Beach in the resort city of Sanya.

In the coming days, the big screens in the cities of Haikou, Sanya, Wanning, Dongfang and Qunzhong will present ten new Italian films including the comedy directed by Gianluca Vannucci, "Famous in seven days" (Famosi in 7 giorni, 2019). The program is being conducted by the organizing committee of the Hainan Island International Film Festival.

"This is my first time on Hainan, and I hope that this picturesque Chinese place will become a filming spot for many masters of world cinema in the future," said Stefano Fregni, producer and screenwriter of the comedy.

He wished that the events held by the organizers of the Hainan International Film Festival would become not only an important platform for acquaintance for the Chinese viewers with the best foreign films, but also allow the world to get to know modern Chinese cinema better.

The "Italian Summer" film festival ia a part of the recently established "four seasons" international cultural event, which will be held on the island to boost cooperation and integrate Chinese and foreign cinema. In March, a similar film program was held on Hainan dubbed the “Indian Spring of Beautiful Asia”.

The Hainan Island International Film Festival was first held from on December 9-16, 2018, and it was officially declared "one of China's main film festivals." The screening is carried out with the support of the Hainan administration and with the approval of the propaganda department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. Such actors and directors as Jackie Chan, Aamir Khan, Nicolas Cage, Johnny Depp, Nuri Bilge Ceylan attended the first Hainan film festival. The second Hainan firm festival will run from December 1 to 8, the Coconut Award will be presented there for the first time.