BJIFF International Lounge Held for the First Time, Setting up a Solid Platform for Exchanges Between Chinese and Foreign Film Industries
Meeting friends around the world and publicizing Chinese films, the 1st BJIFF International Lounge has come to a successful conclusion. The event aims to set up a platform for Chinese and foreign filmmakers to meet and exchange, so that filmmakers from all over the world can discuss film art together, share creative experience, explore cooperation opportunities, and jointly promote the development of the film industry.
From April 19 to 21, the BJIFF International Lounge facilitated more than 120 industry conferences in just three days, and dozens of Chinese and foreign film and television companies and filmmakers had hot and fruitful exchanges and negotiations at Langyuan Station X Art Museum.
Interview at the BJIFF International Lounge
Representatives of domestic companies/personnel participated include Huaxia Film Distribution, Alibaba Pictures, Bona Film Group Limited, Enlight Media, Xiao Xiang Pictures, Hengye Pictures, Emperor Group, The Seventh Art Pictures, and Shanghai Film Group Corporation; presidents from international film festivals participated include Tiina Lokk, Founder and Director of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, Ilda Santiago, Executive Director of the Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival, and Fernando E. Juan Lima, President of the Mar del Plata International Film Festival; representatives of international companies/personnel participated include mk2, GAGA, Charades, TOEI, Trinity CineAsia, Film Factory, Anticipate Pictures, Rai Cinema, Westec Media, Running Monster, etc.
Trinity CineAsia talked with representative of Shanghai Film Group Corporation
Tiina Lokk, Director of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, talked with representative of Haiying Media
The participants said that the BJIFF International Lounge not only connects the film industry around the world, but also deeply links various departments within the industry such as creation, production, screening, distribution and cinema, providing a significant face-to-face communication platform for filmmakers. In addition, the atmosphere of the BJIFF International Lounge is relaxed with comfortable hardware, and the staffs are sufficient to ensure that the participants at home and abroad feel at home. Ilda Santiago, Executive Director of the Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival, said, "I feel very satisfied that BJIFF International Lounge has given my 30-hour journey the meaning it deserves."
mk2 talked with representative of J.Q. Pictures
The International Lounge hosted two forums successfully on April 19. Chinese and foreign panelists were gathered at the Crowne Plaza Beijing Lido to discuss the diversity and inclusiveness of China’s film industry, and ways for Chinese films to go global and fit in the global market. During the Forum on Experience and Prospect on International Distribution of Chinese Films, five panelists shared cases of overseas distribution of Chinese films from four aspects, namely commercial value, audience, platforms and distribution strategies.
Forum on Experience and Prospect on International Distribution of Chinese Films
The panelists believed that international distribution companies fully considered the audience needs of the target market and their acceptance of Chinese IP localization of Chinese films when going global. Stephanie Lee, Regional Content Manager at Westec Media Limited, stated that the overseas distribution of Chinese films is growing fast with huge potential. For instance, the hit film Hi, Mom, and other films like Godspeed, Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms, The Battle at Lake Changjin and Legend of Deification are all outstanding films. The different approaches and strategies adopted by international distribution companies in dealing with different directors and works have helped Chinese films gain a foothold in overseas markets.
In the future, the overseas distribution process of domestic films can further enhance their global influence by establishing distribution funds, analyzing target audiences, striving to break the language barrier, paying more attention to global content, and maintaining closer cooperation with local media and cinema chains. Panelists on the forum believe that only intensive cultivation in overseas markets can get better feedback. According to Quentin Bohanna, International Sales Executive at Mk2 Films, “Chinese arthouse films need promotion on international media, in particular so when targeting the USA market. For example, they can start trial screenings in a few cinemas, and then expand as per actual situation.”
Forum on Experience and Prospect on International Distribution of Chinese Films
At the Forum on the Development Opportunities of Chinese Films in Overseas Film Festivals, seven prominent presidents and programmers from influential international film festivals talked about the role of film festival in facilitating the film industry of the country/region, and dived into remarkable performance and new possibilities of Chinese films at international film festivals. Several presidents and programmers said that one of the most important characteristics of an international film festival was that it can satisfy all audiences through its diversity, and the inclusion of Chinese films such as Dwelling by the West Lake and The Shadowless Tower had allowed international film festivals around the world to become truly inclusive public cultural events and a grand carnival for global filmmakers.
Video mash-up of BJIFF International Lounge
At the end of the forum, the BJIFF and Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC), and the two sides jointly called for the mutual benefit and common development of the film culture industry, and provided diversified development space and opportunities for Chinese and Brazilian filmmakers. The "circle of friends" of the BJIFF was further expanded from the BJIFF International Lounge.
MoC signing ceremony
It is worth noting that the BJIFF International Lounge also organized four screenings of domestic films, including masterpieces such as Be My Family that have been released in China, and new works such as Unwillingness by well-known director Li Yang. International buyers and the presidents of film festivals have been invited for the screening, paving the way for Chinese films to go global. After the screening, a number of film producers had in-depth and detailed exchanges with all parties and gained valuable "going-global" experience.
Director Li Yang talked with presidents of film festivals and buyers after the screening
Please download the Beijing International Film Festival APP for more interesting content
