The upcoming Olympic Games in Beijing, and the spotlight that will be turned on that part of the world next year, is one of the reasons the Vancouver International Film Festival will showcase the cinema of China during its Dragons and Tigers program.

It’s also a continuation of the special cultural relationship that exists between the two cities, says VIFF program associate Mark Peranson.

‘There are also a significant amount of films from China… and at other film festivals, like Toronto, they tend to get lost in the mix,’ he tells Playback Daily.

The over 50-strong Dragons and Tigers program — apparently the largest exhibition of East Asian films outside of that continent — was programmed in part by Chinese-language cinema expert Shelly Kraicer, who recently joined longtime programmer Tony Rayns.

Kraicer, a Toronto native who currently resides in Beijing, has worked for film festivals as a consultant and programmer, including the Venice Film Festival and the Udine Far East Film Festival. He was en route to Venice and could not be reached for comment.

Titles from China at this year’s fest include the world premiere of director Feng Yan’s epic drama Bing Ai, about a Chinese peasant woman living near the Yangtze River’s Three Gorges Dam Project, who refuses to move when ordered by authorities.

Dragons and Tigers also includes titles from Malaysia, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Thailand and the Philippines. VIFF runs Oct. 1-12.