Beijing to host major Int'l Film Festival

Jackie Chan and Zhang Ziyi have been named the image ambassadors for the inaugural Beijing International Film Festival. [File Photo: CFP]

Beijing will host its first ever international film festival next month with Oscar favorites "Black Swan" and "The Social Network" likely to be screened, organizers have announced.

The inaugural Beijing International Film Festival, scheduled to run from April 23 to 28, will screen 100 recently-produced foreign films for local movie-goers. Also among the applicants are the Coen Brothers' "True Grit" and Danny Boyle's "127 Hours", which have yet to get official release dates in the Chinese mainland.

Sixty Chinese-language films will add to the festival's screening panorama.

Jackie Chan and Zhang Ziyi have been named the image ambassadors for the festival.

The Chinese capital city, although being the nation's cultural center and base for many actors, does lack a major international film festival. Previously, stars traveled every year to Shanghai for the annual Shanghai International Film Festival, which according to its Web site, is China's only A-category international film festival accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations.