13th Pacific Meridian film festival opens in Vladivostok

The 13th Pacific Meridian International Film Festival of the Pacific Rim countries opened Saturday evening in the Russian Far East port city of Vladivostok.

156 movies would be presented during the festival, lasting from Sept. 12 to Sept. 18. More than 120 film makers from 40 countries and regions came to support their films, including China, South Korea, France, Israel and Australia.

Among the honored guests are British star Julia Ormond and Rock Brynner, whose father, Yul Brynner, was a Russian-born film and stage actor.

The focus of the film festival is on retrospectives of Sergei Eisenstein in honor of the 120th anniversary of his birth.

Several films are dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the Great Victory and the Year of Russian literature. Two of the films are about Vladivostok, with one of them based on the memories of Rock Brynner.` The opening film this year is "Mountains may depart," produced by China.

The festival's program also includes art exhibits, workshops, video art installations, as well as Q&A sessions with actors and directors.

The Pacific Meridian is the largest event of its kind in Russia celebrating the Pacific Rim movies. It has been held annually in Vladivostok since 2003.