"From oceans to the infinite" is the theme of this year's Hainan Island International Film Festival (HIIFF), the 7th edition of which raised the curtain on December 3 in Sanya.

Official poster of the 7th Hainan Island International Film Festival

This year's HIIFF—more international and diverse than ever before—features 4,564 film submissions from 119 countries and regions, setting a new record with over 2,900 hours of total footage.

The star-studded lineup attending this year's festival boasts big names like James Cameron (the Canadian director of Titanic and The Terminator series), Juliette Binoche (a French actor of The English Patient and Three Colors: Blue fame), Marco Mueller (an Italian film producer), and Hwarng Wern-ying (a veteran Chinese production designer), who are set to give masterclasses on film art, international film curation, performing arts, and technological storytelling. 

The festival will also host the Chinese premiere of the latest installment of Cameron's Avatar series on December 8, giving lucky audiences in Sanya the chance to catch the film ahead of its Chinese mainland release on December 19.

HIIFF's Golden Coconut Award, a gong of rising recognition in the global film industry, features three main categories: feature films, feature documentaries, and short films. Judging the films will be a diverse jury composed of 13 renowned Chinese and international film experts, headed by Mueller, with Binoche serving as the jury's image ambassador.

The HIIFF has the distinction of being the last major international film festival of the year. This year, it has curated more than 100 high-quality films from other festivals, such as Cannes, Locarno, Venice, Toronto, and Busan, with the aim of showcasing the latest achievements of the global film industry. Screenings began in November at 12 cinemas and various other outdoor venues in Sanya, Haikou, and Lingshui, and will continue into early January 2026. Across Hainan, participation in film appreciation will be further encouraged with free screenings of excellent films in 18 cities and counties.

Alongside the masterclasses, screenings, and award ceremony, five professional forums will be held, chief among which is a forum on "High-quality Development of Chinese Cinema – Opportunities and New Development Momentum in the Free Trade Port's  Film Industry." Other events include the Hainan Film Television Industry Investment Promotion Conference & Signing Ceremony, the "AI Film Season," and a themed film screening event to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Thailand. The city of Sanya will also launch over 20 cultural tourism activities to mark the Chinese Film Consumption Year, providing residents and visitors with even more to see and do during the winter season.

This year's HIIFF will run until December 9. Make sure you don't miss out!