People participate in the celebrations to welcome the New Year in Valletta, Malta, Dec. 31, 2022. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua)

The Chinese Lunar New Year for 2023, or the Spring Festival, falls on Jan. 22.

The fourth "Happy Chinese New Year" film festival kicked off on Saturday evening with the Chinese film "The Bravest" at Malta's National Center for Creativity in Valletta.

Maltese audiences will have the opportunity to watch four more Chinese films "The Climbers", "Looking Up", "The Wandering Earth" and "The Captain" during the film festival, which will last until Jan. 24.

Chinese film-making had become more and more sophisticated in recent years, and its topics and themes were becoming more diversified, Aida Daoud Bushra told Xinhua after watching the film, adding that she loved Chinese culture very much and hoped to see more Chinese films in the future.

Fiona Vella said she was delighted to watch the fine Chinese films on the occasion of the Chinese New Year. These films brought interesting Chinese cultural experience to Maltese audiences, whom would have the opportunity to enjoy the unique charm of Chinese culture and arts, she said.

Audiences watch the Chinese film "The Bravest" in the National Center for Creativity in Valletta, Malta, on Jan. 7, 2023. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua)

This was the first time Kevin Debono and his wife saw a Chinese film and they were amazed by the charm of the film. They said they hoped to see more Chinese films in Valletta in the future.

"Happy Chinese New Year" film festival has become a vital brand event for Maltese people to experience Chinese culture, Yuan Yuan, director of the China Cultural Centre in Malta, told Xinhua, adding that she hoped more local people understand further the development of Chinese culture and society through visual arts.

The Chinese Lunar New Year for 2023, or the Spring Festival, falls on Jan. 22.