BEIJING -- The official film of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games is in the final phase of post-production and will soon be released in China, with an international release scheduled later this year, the Beijing 2022 Organizing Committee (BOCOG) announced on Saturday.

Directed by Lu Chuan with renowned Chinese director Zhang Yimou as executive producer, and filmmaker Zhang Heping as general consultant, the film captures the defining moments of Beijing 2022, such as the evening of February 4, 2022, when fireworks lit up the sky of Beijing during the opening ceremony.

Lu revealed that the production of this official film began in 2020. According to him, the film records how various functional areas, entities and parties collaborated closely to overcome the difficulties and pressures presented by the COVID-19 pandemic to successfully deliver the Games.

The film also highlights stories of athletes who constantly challenge themselves to pursue Olympic dreams and those of photographers, volunteers, medical personnel, and other Olympic participants.

"We shot over 700 hours of footage in multiple locations globally. There were many frustrations, but our team members pushed themselves with the Olympic spirit," said Lu. "I hope the stories we have chosen to tell and the faces we have recorded can leave a strong impression on the audience about the time of Beijing 2022."

Since the early 20th century, films have been created for every edition of the Olympic Games. The Olympic film collection is comprised of more than 40 feature-length films that offer a cinematic window onto defining moments in the history of the modern Games, serving as historical archives and cultural treasures, and illustrating the Olympic motto of "Faster, Higher, Stronger - Together".