The Chinese Film Festival, an annual showcase of new Chinese cinema presented by the Motion Picture Association (MPA) with the goal of fostering dialogue and cultural exchange between China and the US, kicks off in Los Angeles on Monday (Sept 25) with the US premiere of Zhang Jianya's Crash Landing.

Seven films will be screened, then toured to San Francisco (Oct 1) and New York (Oct 4-7). A delegation of Chinese representatives including film-makers and government officials will attend the screenings which are all free to the public. Four of the films screening received Best Picture nominations at this year's Baihua Awards (Chinese Academy Awards) - Crash Landing, The Last Hunters, Dragon Boat Rhapsody and 1919.

The films are: 1919 directed by Huang Jianzhong, Breaking The Silence starring Gong Li, Crash Landing, Dragon Boat Rhapsody starring Geng Le, The Last Hunters with Tang Na and Team Spirit directed by Qi Jian.