People present mascots of the Year of the Snake at Malta's National Centre for Creativity in Valletta, Malta, Feb. 18, 2025. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua)

The 6th "Happy Chinese New Year" film festival opened on Tuesday evening at Malta's National Centre for Creativity in Valletta, with the first film, One and Only, receiving prolonged applause from the audience.

The festival, co-hosted by the China Cultural Centre in Malta and the China Film Archive, will run until March 4. Three more Chinese films, namely Pegasus 2, Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms, and Yolo, will be screened.

"Through these films, we aim to showcase the richness of China's historical heritage, its unique cultural characteristics, and the dynamic spirit of contemporary Chinese society," Xue Ning, deputy director of the China Film Archive, said at the opening of the film festival.

"The charm of cinema will further enhance emotional resonance and cultural exchange between our nations," Xue added.

Following the screening, David Michael Schembri, mayor of Qrendi, southern Malta, said that the enthusiastic audience reaction reflected the artistic appeal of One and Only.

"I was really excited about the movie and I loved it very much," said Noemi Calisto, a 25-year-old movie enthusiast, who expressed her love for Chinese culture and films. She plans to watch all the films at this festival and hopes to see more outstanding Chinese movies in Malta in the future, she told Xinhua.

Charmaine Zammit, education officer for art at the Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation, praised One and Only as a "very beautiful" movie that deeply captured the emotions of the audience.