The second Annual European Union film festival in China opened here Thursday with a school drama from Sweden.

The film "Ondskan," or "Evil," is a work of director Mikael Hafstrom in 2003. It tells a story of a 16-year-old school boy's struggle against systemized evil in a boarding school.

The drama won thunderous applause from the audience. "It's my first time to watch a Swedish movie. I'm very impressed and decide to see all the movies on the list," said Zhou Yuan, an office worker.

EU ambassador to China Serge Abou said the film and those to follow were a realistic way for people to get to know Europe better.

"European cinema is like a Chinese banquet: many dishes with distinct flavors and colors to please every palate," he said.

The film festival has invited all 27 EU Member States to showcase one recent, popular and successful film, including Austria's "Mozart in China", Belgium's "Formidable" and "Fighter by Natasha Arthy "from Denmark. Each film will be screened in the original language with English and Chinese subtitles.

The films were on the list for their diversity and local flavor and we wanted the Chinese audience to have a glimpse of what the European moviegoers were enjoying, said Swedish Ambassador to China Mikael Lindstrom.

The event will last about four weeks in both Beijing and Chengdu.

The first EU film festival in China was held in Beijing in December 2008.