NAIROBI, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- For much of November, students at the University of Nairobi eagerly set aside two hours each day to watch a selection of Chinese films, marking a month-long cultural immersion at the university's Confucius Institute.

Dozens of students gathered daily at the institute to enjoy the screenings, which offered them a window into contemporary Chinese culture and storytelling.

"The movies themselves are an extension of learning Chinese. They show how Chinese people speak and act, which helped me feel connected to their daily life, even though films are fictional," said Mary Ann Ngige, a mathematics major, in a recent interview with Xinhua.

Gideon Jadeya, a member of the university's lion dance club, said his passion for the Chinese language and culture made him look forward to each day's screening.

"I really enjoyed the movies. They are educational," said Jadeya, who majors in real estate. "I learned the value of consistency, believing in myself, and knowing that nothing can bring me down."

During this year's film festival, several well-produced animated movies were showcased, including Chang'an, White Snake, Green Snake, I Am What I Am 2, and Future Reborn.

"These movies are really good, and they all carry moral lessons, mostly about family, relationships, and friendships," said Aquilla Muthoni, a 20-year-old humanities student.

For Rachael Genesis, who is currently studying Chinese at the HSK 3 level, the third level of the International Chinese Proficiency Test, watching the films for three consecutive weeks brought her closer to her dream of visiting China.

"I want to experience Chinese culture firsthand, and I love that China has so many opportunities I'd like to explore. These films present Chinese culture in a way that has opened my eyes," she said.

In addition to Chinese animated films, some Kenyan animations were also screened at the festival, allowing both students and teachers to engage in cross-cultural appreciation.

Wang Shangxue, director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Nairobi, described this year's animated film festival as a joyful and relaxing cultural exchange.

"We believe film is an important form of culture. Here at the institute, we teach Chinese culture, and we brought films like Chang'an, which has a wonderful storyline showcasing Chinese culture and poetry," Wang said. "For us Chinese teachers working in Kenya, we also want to learn Kenyan culture, so this has been a mutual cultural interaction."

This year's screening is part of the activities outlined in the cooperation agreement signed between Kenya and the China Film Administration, aimed at strengthening cultural exchanges through film. ■