Youth Cinema and Short Films Festival opened in its second edition at the Opera House in Damascus on Monday. Over 30 movies produced by young filmmakers, whose yet short journey has been fully supported, will be showcased during the 7-day festival, which was organized by the General Establishment of Cinema. The movies will compete within the festival’s official contest, governed by a jury. Attended by Minister of Culture Issam Khalil, the festival’s opening ceremony saw the honoring of a number of artists, actors, filmmakers and directors. Several drama theatre tableaus and a video tape featuring the history of the Syrian cinema since its early beginnings in 1908 in Aleppo were screened. Actor Rafiq Sbei’I, who was among those honored by the festival’s organizers, hailed the great interest the Cinema Establishment has showed to close-to-the Syrian life issues as topics for the movies it is producing, “which is giving the Syrian cinema an elevated side.” “Emotions, sensations, painful desires and sweet laughters” were the words in which head of the festival’s jury, Director Abdulatif Abdulhamid, summed up the journey of the Syrian cinema. “The Syrian cinema is our grand home and our endless dream,” added Abdulhamid, who is one of founders of cinema in Syria. He went on saying that the Syrian-made movies have successfully made their way through international festivals and events because they have always been emotionally charged and replete with honest sensations, featuring the one and only obsession, that is “belonging to the homeland”. Renowned singer Mayada Bseilis performed a song on the occasion, with scenes featuring Syrian soldiers facing the terrorist organizations sliding on the screen. Two events, one carrying the title “Salute to Syria’s Greatest Friends…Russia, China and Iran” and another dedicated to international cinema, will be held in the course of the festival.