The opening red carpet saw renowned filmmakers and actors from home and abroad, including Samal Yeslyamova, this year's winner of the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress, actresses Yao Chen and Ma Yili, actors Liao Fan and Wang Xuebing, and Hong Kong directors Kirk Wong and Johnnie To.

Apart from screenings of selected new and classic films, this year's PYIFF launched a series of academic activities under its Filmmakers' Program section, consisting of 10 master classes, forums and panels, to offer in-depth intellectual discussions of filmmaking.