Once again, and for the seventh time overall, the association of producers Bridging the Dragon – of which director and producer Cristiano Bortone has been the Managing Director for many years – and the Cannes Film Festival’s Marché du Film (running 16 - 24 May) are set to host the Sino-International Company Meetings. This match-making event between Chinese companies and their international counterparts is set to take place on the afternoon of Thursday 18 May.

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The aim of the gathering is to reactivate dialogue between Chinese and international professionals, putting companies from both sides in contact with one another based on their reciprocal objectives. In line with the association’s new Asian prospective, professionals from other countries or regions in the Far East who wish to make contact with businesses from China or elsewhere, are also welcome to attend.

The last few years have, in fact, hindered countless international collaborations, especially with China. The Chinese film market has dropped off dramatically on account of rigorous restrictive policies to combat Covid, but it’s important to remember its scale given that it’s potentially the biggest film market in the world. This year’s springtime festivities served to prove local audiences’ love for film, with a record box office performance of over 920 million euros achieved in just 7 days, which is the second highest figure recorded during springtime festivities to date. As it stands, there are approximately 80,000 screens in China and this number is expected to rise to 160,000 in the next 20 years. From a long-term perspective, it’s a country which still has plenty of opportunities to offer foreign directors, and the Sino-International Company Meetings represent another occasion to discuss this market with so very much to offer.

This year’s edition will be open to production companies, as well as sales agents, distributors, post-production houses and projects. Film professionals with a proven interest in Chinese-international collaborations are eligible to apply. Participants must be Marché du Film badgeholders. International (non-Chinese) firms wishing to take part should fill out this online form, while Chinese companies should apply here.

The application process will close on Friday 21 April 2023. The results of the selection will be announced in early May 2023. Those requiring further information should email cannes@bridgingthedragon.com.