The event is part of the China Golden Rooster Film Festival and the Hundred Flowers Film Festival.

Over 500 participants — industry professionals and fans — from more than 10 countries attended the event, which was co-organized by the Qujiang New Area Administrative Committee of Xi'an and the Short Film Committee under the China Film Association.

The event is the country's only official short-film-screening event and serves both the public and academic purposes. It's authorized by the China Film Association.

It received over 4,300 low-budget entries from both China and abroad since preparations began in August 2016. Most came from college students, who presented views on a range of themes, including philosophy, religion and modern life.

About 110 films among the final 500 candidates were selected by a panel of judges comprising film directors and members of such organizations as the China Film Art Research Center.

A forum discussed China's film and TV industries' development mode in the context of the diversification generated by the internet age.

Experts, including scholars and film critics, joined the event, which had an audience of 300.

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