Minsk [Belarus], November 1: The 31st Minsk International Film Festival "Listapad" kicked off at Belarus' Palace of the Republic on Friday.
The festival features eight competition categories, including feature films, non-fiction films, animated films, films for children and youth audience (Listapadzik), cinema of the young, a national film schools competition, and a national competition, the BelTA news agency reported.
Over 3,600 submissions from 120 countries resulted in 157 films selected from more than 40 countries, including debuts from Vietnam and the Philippines. Participants hail from Russia, China, India, Iran, Pakistan and European countries.
The jury comprises internationally renowned film figures and cinema experts.
The first Listapad festival was held in 1994, created to unite the best feature and documentary films produced in the post-Soviet space.
Source: Xinhua
