In 2026, the Winter Olympic flame passed from Beijing to Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. On the field of play, athletes compete and push their limits, embodying the essence of sportsmanship. Outside, more and more people take to running tracks, pitches for ball games, or ski slopes, discovering their own rhythm and state of being through sport. When the passion for sport meets cinematic storytelling, the thrill of competition sustains and the spirit of sport is passed on. Perhaps the most enduring tribute to Olympism is found in films.
Poster of the 22nd Beijing International Sports Film Week.
The 22nd Beijing International Sports Film Week (BISFW) will officially open at Langyuan Station, Chaoyang District, on April 18. Themed “Olympic in Sports Films,” this edition is co-hosted by the Beijing International Film Festival Organizing Committee, the Chinese Olympic Committee, and the Beijing Olympic City Development Association (BODA). Taking Milano Cortina 2026 as an opportunity, it aims to deepen dialogue and exchange in sports film and TV culture between China and Italy. The main events run from April through July, starting during the Beijing International Film Festival. From the opening panel to film screenings, from project support to public screenings, a full conversation between sports and films is about to unfold.
Qi Guangpu, Olympic champion and Grand Slam winner in freestyle skiing aerials, serves as an ambassador for the 22nd BISFW.
Launch Event of Call for Entries & Opening Panel: when the Olympic torch passes from Beijing to Milan
As the Olympic torch passed from Beijing to Milan, what flows between the two cities is not only the passion of sporting competition but also the shared memories preserved and passed on through films. As the kick-off session of the annual sports film event, the opening ceremony will not only formally announce the call for entries for the 22nd Beijing International Sports Film Week, but also, building on long term cooperation with the Fédération Internationale Cinéma Télévision Sportifs (FICTS) in Italy, bring together Qi Guangpu, Yu Jianhong, Wang Fangfang, Li Tingwei, Chang Lei and other representatives of the Beijing Winter Olympics, sports personalities, and film and television creators. Centred on the theme “The Dual Olympic City and a New Chapter of the Winter Olympics”, they will share stories and memories behind Winter Olympic films, discuss the heritage of Winter Olympic culture as it passes from Beijing to Milano, and introduce case studies from other Olympic host cities to explore diverse paths for transforming Olympic legacies through cinematic expression and urban culture.
Opening panel of the 21st BISFW.
Panel: sports films are no longer only for sports enthusiasts
At the panel “Breaking Boundaries and Building Empathy—New Explorations in Film Genres amid the Wave of Sports for All,” Hu Yadan, Song Fangjin, Yu Baimei, Yan Qiang, and Zhang Qing will share their own experiences to decode the emotional language of sports films. Amid the wave of sports for all, how can sports films break boundaries? How can they reach and resonate with a wider audience? These are among the most pressing questions for today’s sports film and TV production.
Film screenings: uncovering stories behind the competition
The BISFW, a special unit of the Beijing Film Panorama of the 16th Beijing International Film Festival, will bring a selection of excellent international sports films to cinemas across Beijing. Come feel the passion and sportsmanship.
第16届北京国际电影节"北京国际体育电影周"特别单元
Sports Project Sub-unit: supporting the production of more moving stories
The BISFW will continue to collaborate with the Project Pitches of the Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) to establish the Beijing International Sports Film Week Sports Project Sub-unit, which will provide support for the creation and development of sports films and TV projects and help more such works reach larger audiences.
Sports Film+: not just on screens, but all around you
At the marketplace of the 16th Beijing International Film Festival, the BISFW booth will display and sell sports merchandise and offer interactive sports experiences, opening up more possibilities for crossovers between sport and film. Come explore, have fun, and feel the energy.
BISFW booth at the marketplace of the 15th Beijing International Film Festival.
After July: from selection to screening, the story continues
Starting in July, the 22nd BISFW will launch activities including the shortlists announcement, and will hold film screenings until December.
The call for entries for this edition will cover eight categories: Olympic Games and Olympic Spirit, Documentary, Sports and Society / Sports and the Paralympic Movement, Feature Film, TV and New Media, Shorts, Winter Sports, and Student Works. Selection is conducted in two rounds. The outstanding works selected in the final round will represent Beijing at the SPORT MOVIES & TV – Milano International FICTS Fest.
In late July, the Shortlists Announcement Ceremony of the 22nd BISFW will officially reveal the shortlisted works in each category, with each awarded a certificate.
Han Zirong, President of the Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles (BFLAC) and Executive Vice Chairperson of BODA, attends the Shortlists Announcement Ceremony of the 21st BISFW.
Public screenings: bringing the Olympic spirit into everyday life
Through public screenings in the Beijing-Zhangjiakou region, Olympic venues, and key commercial districts in Beijing, the BISFW aims to bring the Olympic spirit to life, leaving a lasting imprint on more people’s hearts. It will also spread the Olympic values through crossover with the Beijing Olympic City Sports Culture Festival.A carefully curated highlight reel of the 22nd BISFW will debut in bustling commercial districts across Beijing, injecting sporting passion into urban life. In addition, sports film related display activities will be organized in the Beijing Olympic Center to boost sports consumption, contributing the power of sports films to economic growth and the new development paradigm.
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About Beijing International Sports Film Week
Founded in 2005, the Beijing International Sports Film Week (BISFW) is an important cultural legacy of the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics, and has now been held for 22 editions. As a core component of the Beijing Olympic City Sports Culture Festival, the BISFW has stayed committed to promoting international exchanges and presentation of sports film and TV productions.
In 2025, the 21st edition received 211 entries, from which 18 outstanding works were selected. Ten of these were shortlisted for the global finals of the SPORT MOVIES & TV 2025 – 43rd Milano International FICTS Fest. The documentary short Antelope of the Plateau—China’s First Tibetan Olympic Champion Qieyang Shijie’s Journey in Pursuit of Her Dream won the “Guirlande d’Honneur” Award. Outstanding works from previous editions have been screened publicly many times in the Beijing-Zhangjiakou region and elsewhere, harnessing the power of film to spread the Olympic spirit and inspire more young people to engage in sports.
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