A three-day event called the "Beijing Screening" has just started unreeling. Dozens of international film buyers are in the city, ready to open their wallets for new Chinese movies with global appeal.
Surrounded by colorful posters, stars and directors talk up their latest efforts while international film buyers take note. Over the next three days, they'll have the chance to view 32 domestically made movies, including two from Hong Kong. The screening has attracted more than 70 film distributors from the US, France, Japan, Germany, Australia and more. Many are veteran players who've seen the changes in Chinese cinema.
Michael J. Werner, supervisor for China of 20th Century Fox International, said: "The films come out this year have more and more commercial aspect. So we are looking for something with commercial aspects. The production people in the film industry in China are changing, changing for the international film distributors."
Be that as it may, screening organizer, the China Film Group Corporation, says the tastes of international buyers have not changed. They always look for movies combining unique Chinese elements with universal themes.
Yang Buting, president of China Film Group Corporation, said: "They're always enthusiastic about movies with strong Chinese features, like countryside life, ordinary people in poor areas, or Kungfu with special effects. From our experience, some movies which aren't popular with domestic viewers are welcomed by the international community. So we have to pay attention to this."
The 32 movies were selected from hundreds of films around the country produced this year. In its seven years, the "Beijing Screening" has become an important platform bringing more Chinese films to the international market.
(CCTV.com August 29, 2003)
