Future Still Looks Bright for Film & TV Co-productions Between China and Europe

The trade tension between the U.S. and China has made Hollywood quite nervous lately. This doesn’t seem to have affected the ties between the Chinese film industry and Europe.

On May 19th, the Marché du film collaborated with the Sino-European producers association Bridging the Dragon and organized the fourth Sino-International Company Meetings. With the aim of introducing professionals of the Chinese film industry to prestigious international production companies, the event attracted approximately 25 producers from all over the world and provided them a chance to meet their Chinese counterparts and open doors for future collaborations.

Among them were companies such as the Icelandic studio Pegasus Pictures, who recently co-produced the popular TV series “Legend of Kunlun” with China, and also leading UK film studio Cinestaan, who co-produced the Oscar wining film “Cold War” of which will soon be released by distribution company Road Pictures in China.

The same diversity was seen in the selection of the Chinese companies. Attendees included representatives of bigger studios, such as the state owned company 1905 Pictures, and one of the largest Chinese cinema chains and growing content producer Dadi Film, as well as emerging companies like Rediance, who just announced they will co-finance Apichatpong’s “Memoria” starring Tilda Swinton, and animation studio Yi Animation, whose latest animation project “Kung Food” got selected for the “Contrechamp” program in the French Annecy Animation Film Festival.

Leading figures such as Jeffrey Chan of Bona Film Group, known for blockbusters like “Operation Red Sea”, and Cai Gongming CEO of Road Pictures, who just landed a box office record with his latest release of Lebanese Golden Globe winner “Capernaum” (with an box office of more than 45M USD by now), joined the meet-up.

Cristiano Bortone, Managing Director of Bridging the Dragon commented on this year’s event: “The incredible success of a quality film like “Capernaum”, the increase of line productions of Chinese films and TV in Europe, the completion of the first co-productions – all these things are a sign of the growth of a more demanding Chinese audience and an opportunity for further collaboration among our film industries. We are very proud to partner once more with the Marché on encouraging this process.”

This article was first published here.