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The Third Annual China-America Festival of Film and Culture, a five-day showcase of Chinese films, exhibits and cultural events, will be held Oct. 3-7 at the University of Richmond, Collegiate School and Byrd Theater.

Designed to be a window on contemporary China and its history, the festival also will include lectures and panel discussions, providing a forum for leading Chinese artists and intellectuals.

More than 100 scholars from around the world will present papers at the 49th annual Conference of the American Association for Chinese Studies (AACS), concurrent with the festival. Vincent Wang, chairman of political science at the university, is conference host.

The Rose Group for Cross-Cultural Understanding, a nonprofit group promoting Sino-American understanding and goodwill through media presentation and exchange, sponsors the festival with significant additional support from Henrico County, The Anne Carter Robins and Walter R. Robins Jr. Foundation, Virginia Film Office and Virginia Foundation for the Humanities. In addition to the scheduled events, The Rose Group will host a Mandarin oratory competition and a photography contest titled “Beyond the Great Wall: Snapshots from China.”

A festival kick-off celebration takes place Sept. 29 at Barnes & Noble Booksellers at Libbie and Broad St. from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

All events, including films shown at the Byrd Theater, are free, and the public is invited. For information and the complete festival schedule, visit www.therosegroup.org/caffc.