The first European Film Festival in China opened here on Saturday evening with the Oscar-winning French film "La Mome." A total of 25 European films will be screened over the next two weeks, each from a different European Union (EU) member.

The festival is organized by the French Embassy and the EU delegation of the European Commission to China.

"France is in the lead with the EU Commission. As an initiator, we hope the festival will be repeated in the coming years," said Herv Ladsous, the French Ambassador to China. "We'd like to see more European movies presented in China."

"We have selected the best commercial successes from the past two years to show Chinese people how we live in Europe," said EU Ambassador Serge Abou. "I'm sure it will give the Chinese audience the taste of European cinema and life."

He added: "Europe hopes to attract Chinese people. The festival is a positive gesture."

"Matti" is the film Finland brought for the festival. The Finnish Ambassador Antti Kuosmanen said at the opening celebration: "The film [Matti] may be strange to Chinese audiences, but I still hope they will like it."

Other films include "White Palms" from Hungary, "Dot.com" from Portugal, "Welcome Home" from Austria, "Seamstresses" from Bulgaria and "Pandora" from Greece.

Showing are free at the French Cultural Center, the Cervantes Institute, the Italian Cultural Institute and the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art. All films are in the original language with English and Chinese subtitles.

"We have started making plans for the second film festival in China next year and I hope it will be held annually," said Abou.