The ongoing 14th Shanghai International Film Festival has sent a loud and clear message that Chinese people\'s passion for film and its improved cinema infrastructure will encourage more foreign film companies to work with local teams.
Yesterday\'s industry summit "Film Dream In the Era of Capital" attracted media giant Rupert Murdoch and his wife Wendi Deng, CEO and Chairman of Legendary Entertainment Thomas Tull, Phoenix Pictures Chairman Mike Medavoy and Shanghai Film Group Corporation President Ren Zhonglun.
All of the overseas guests were amazed at the thriving Chinese film industry. "There is no more exciting market in the world than China."said Murdoch.
Murdoch said he was eager for more future collaboration opportunities with local film makers to co-produce movies or introducing marvelous Chinese films to the world.
In addition to infrastructure and film technology, he advised local authorities and filmmaking groups to promote creativity and originality, recognize and respect the value of intellectual property rights, and attach importance to emerging new media platforms to provide more ways for people to enjoy movies.
Wendi Deng also shared the experience of her first film production on the Sino-American movie Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, an epic tale of the true bonds of friendship and family shared by two women.
She noted that her big reason to shoot the movie in China was the lower filmmaking costs and said she was very optimistic about the Chinese market\'s future development.
"I\'m willing to introduce more Hollywood veterans to cooperate with Chinese peers," Deng said,"Co-production is a good way for Chinese cinema to increase its international influence."
Deng\'s film, which stars Chinese actress Li Bingbing, Korean actress Jeon Ji-Hyun and Hollywood star Hugh Jackman, is slated for national release on June 24. So far the film has been sold to more than 30 countries.
Shanghai Film Group\'s Ren Zhonglun, a co-producer of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, revealed that the company this year planned to make 4 new co-productions with foreign companies. One with Phoenix Pictures will be The Jewish Piano, an epic set against the backdrop of World War II.
"With the increasingly mature market and infrastructure, capital investment in the Chinese film industry will generate big returns." Ren added.
Legendary Entertainment\'s Thomas Tull, producer of the hit thriller Inception, said his criterion for future co-production is to do films with universal themes .
Legendary Entertainment recently signed a deal with Huayi Brothers Media Corporation to form Legendary East, a new film and TV production company based in Hong Kong China.
The venture plans to make or co-produce English-language films and TV shows in China that can be exported to the rest of the world.