AS one of the world's most prestigious film festivals, Toronto International Film Festival ( TIFF) will focus this year on Chinese films, holding an Asian Film Summit after "Looper," a Chinese-U.S. sci-fi thriller, kicks off the 11-day festival.

During a press conference co-organized by the consulate general Tuesday, TIFF's artistic director Cameron Bailey said Chinese filmmakers are bringing with them a unique voice, stories and history, which they want to share on an international platform.

"Chinese film directors bring first of all thousands of years of history and most of the best Chinese filmmakers understand China's history very well," said Bailey. "Often filmmakers have a hard time translating their own cultural stories to an international audience, but I think with films like "Caught in the Web" and "Dangerous Liaisons" and "The Last Supper," you see these filmmakers really try to bridge that gap and tell those very important Chinese stories to an audience that will work, that will appreciate the film here in Toronto and all over the world."

Chinese films are still relatively new to the international audience, but Bailey says their selections this year are all films that are not only able to maintain the integrity of their story, but also to appeal to movie-lovers across the globe.

"What I really like about Chinese films we have at the festival this year is that they don't make compromises for international audiences. They want to invite in an audience from all over the world to see them. They're not trying to pander or to make concessions to an international audience."

Some of the must-sees, according to Bailey, include Lu Chuan's "The Last Supper," Stephen Fung's "Tai Chi 0," "Caught in the Web" and "Dangerous Liaisons."

Chinese Consul-General Fang Li believes that the festival will be a great opportunity to reach out to TIFF's international audience and help them understand China's culture and history.

"It will really enhance the friendship between Chinese people and the Canadian people and let the Canadian people understand the Chinese culture and Chinese history," he said.

TIFF runs from Sept. 6 to 16. The Asian Film Summit, a new component aiming to bring together filmmakers from the East and West, will be held Monday.

(Xinhua)

trailer for Sci-fi action "Looper," starring Joseph Gordon Levitt and Bruce Willis as two different versions of the same man.

with Zhang Ziyi Jang Dong-gun & Cecilia Cheung

Zhang Ziyi and Jang Dong Gun in Easternlight Films' Dangerous Liaisons