07/04/2005 - The European film industry is increasingly interested in China, a huge market expected to develop considerably where the American have already started settling

The European film industry is increasingly interested in China, a huge market expected to develop considerably where the American have already started settling —the Warner went there in 2002. To make up for their being late compared to America, the European countries have multiplied several promotional events, such as the 2d Panorama of French Cinema in China which is starting today in Beijin. Until the 17th of April, 12 major French productions will run in Beijin, Shanghai, Nankin, Wuhan, and Chengdu. On the programme, we find for instance Kings and Queen [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Arsène Lupin, and Un petit jeu sans conséquences. Some directors (Arnaud Desplechin, Bernard Rapp, and Olivier Nakache) and actors (Catherine Jacob, Pascal Greggory, and Jean-Paul Rouve) will attend the opening night, organised by Unifrance. The laws currently applying in China do not authorize more than 20 foreign films per year to be distributed (in 2004, 4 of them were French, and the other 16 were American) but on the 10th of October 2004, the French Cultural Affairs Secretary, Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres, signed an agreement ensuring mutual support between French and Chinese cinema. As far as exhibition is concerned, Marin Karmitz has been negotiating for several months in order to open MK2 theatres in Beijin and/or Shanghai.

The European Producers’ Club, directed by Jean Cazès (Initial Productions - France) has also been actively encouraging, from Paris, a series of partnerships with China. From the 14th to the 17th of April, in Beijin, the Club is organising a Coproduction Forum in which 18 European production companies will participate, including Pandora (Germany), Film Albatros (Italy), and Rezo Films. Apart from screening, there will be a series of meetings with members of the China Film Producers’ Association, the China Film Fund, and the China Film Script Programming Centre, as well as with Chinese studio directors, producers (China Film Group, Shanghai Film Group, Tianjin Film Studio, Xi’an Film Group, Huayi Brothers & Taihe Film Investment Co...), distributors, and directors. The event will allow all the European participants to promote their work and envisage coproduction with Chinese partners, and thus prepare for further future cooperation.

(Translated from French)