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For the 4th year in a row the European Film Market (EFM) and Bridging the Dragon, a Berlin-based association connecting the European and Chinese film industries, in collaboration with AFTP (Asian Film and Television Promotion) will present a whole day event dedicated entirely to China.
With now more than 50.000 screens and pervasive online platforms, the Chinese market continues to grow, creating incredible box office results. At the same time its public is becoming gradually more diversified giving space to genres that were not imaginable until a few years ago such as family, animation, art house and other foreign film quality imports. Europe with its rich film culture and know-how is becoming more and more interesting for Chinese film producers.
The Seminar is thus aimed at supporting 60 invited European producers in better understanding this new market and overcoming the cultural differences that still make collaboration challenging. It will include a morning panel moderated by Patrick Frater (Variety) and cover topics such as “What’s new on the Chinese market” by producer CHEN Lizhi with information provided by Chinese Media Data Company Fanink, “The renewed collaboration between Hong Kong and Mainland China” by renowned producer Manfred WONG and “The increase of co-productions with China” by the director of CFCC (China Film Co-production Corporation) MIAO Xiaotian.
In the afternoon workshop the participants will have the opportunity for in-depth talks with a number of Chinese production experts on topics that are crucial for their current focus on China spanning from the challenges of developing suitable content, handling currency exchange with China, acquisition, and protection of IP’s and how to find the right partner in the now crowded landscape of Chinese cinema.
China Film Insider, an online platform dedicated to daily reports on recent news of the Chinese film market will provide a live braodcast of the Seminar.
In connection with the seminar Bridging the Dragon will also co-ordinate side events that will make the focus on China even more fruitful. In his first time visit to the Berlinale Mr. MIAO Xiaotian together with the Chairman of state-owned film holding China Film Group Mr. JIAO Hongfeng will meet representatives of the German film industry. The Chinese delegation will have an official meeting with representatives of BKM (Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media) to discuss a co-production treaty between Germany and China. They will attend a roundtable with the executives in charge of FFA, Medienboard Berlin Brandenburg and other regional funds, German Films and the main producer associations in an attempt to increase mutual collaboration.
From February 22 to 24 Bridging the Dragon will also hold the second session of its yearly Project Lab, of which the first session was held during the Shanghai International Film Festival. With the support of renowned tutors, the representatives of film projects from Europe and China suitable for co-productions will focus on the development of their films and on building and expanding professional relations essential to their completion.
Cristiano Bortone, Managing Director of Bridging the Dragon: "It has been four years since the creation of our platform, we are very pleased to see how the community of producers interested in China has grown and how this new market is finally being considered a new priority for many of our film professionals. The first films are starting to happen, whether co-productions, co-financing or service productions: Following the fast development of the Chinese film market (and society) it is also encouraging to see European films being successfully released in China and investors turning their attention to all of the things that Europe has to offer. Many differences are still keeping us apart but it is an exciting time. Bridging the Dragon will continue to support our producers in bridging these two markets."
Matthijs Wouter Knol, Director of the European Film Market: “At EFM we are happy to continue the collaboration with Bridging the Dragon. We have been partnering with this pioneering project from the very first hour and we have witnessed the growth in interest and participation. This year the event will be particularly rich and will be a part of the EFM Producers Hub program, and therefore focusing on the needs of producers even more. We believe that it is important for the event to have a hands-on set-up and to provide the participating producers as many concrete tools as possible to help them approach a still challenging Chinese market. We look forward to seeing more and more productions resulting from this energetic think-tank!”
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