It's the second year in a row that Brussels hosts the Chinese film festival.[Photo/Xinhua]

A week-long Chinese film festival kicked off in Brussels on Thursday to highlight the diversity of recent Chinese cinema and the talent of its directors.

It's the second year in a row that Brussels hosts the Chinese film festival. This year's edition will see the screening of Chinese films with the plots involving folk arts, martial arts, calligraphy, nature, myths and legends from Oct 12 to 19 at the Studio 5 at Flagey, Brussels.

The films covered a wide-range of topics, running from the life of martial art practitioners in the 1930s and how they fought for peace and justice to the life of modern day Yugur brothers and how they adapt to changes of the times.

"Movies have the power of exploring the depths of lives of human beings and the significance of broadening our horizon beyond the existing boundaries and promoting mutual understanding between different cultures and civilizations," Ambassador Yang Yanyi, head of the Chinese Mission to the EU told the Opening Ceremony of the festival.

The festival is also part of the second China Arts Festival in the EU, which will take place from October to December 2016 and aim to develop cultural initiatives from China in the European Union.