2011-04-26 13:11

BEIJING - A senior official with China's State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television (SARFT) has urged the country's filmmakers to undertake more cooperative projects with their counterparts from Europe and other foreign countries and regions.

"Chinese and European filmmakers have common wishes and pursuits in promoting the diversity of world cinema. We encourage and support Chinese filmmakers to take advantage of our development and cooperate with their European counterparts and those from other parts of the world," said Tong Gang, director-general of the SARFT Film Bureau.

Tong made the remarks Monday at a forum entitled "Passage to Sino-European Film Cooperation" as part of the six-day Beijing International Film Festival, which is being jointly hosted by the SARFT and the Beijing Municipal Government.

Since 2004, China has signed intergovernmental agreements on film co-production with Italy, France, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, as well as several other countries.

Tong revealed that more agreements are under negotiation.

During the forum, filmmakers and industrial players from across the country discussed the future of film co-production and the need for more international talents in the film industry.

Eric Garandeau, president of the National Film and Moving Image Centre in France, said that different genres of Chinese films reflected different aspects of the country and also attracted French audiences.

A dozen or so Chinese films have been annually screened in France over the past few years, Garandeau said, expressing his hope that China and France can make more co-produced films in the future.

The China Film Co-production Corporation provided consultation for 30 Sino-European co-production film projects during the forum. These projects have received investments worth 427 million yuan ($65 million) so far.

The forum was jointly organized by the China Film Co-production Corporation and the European Producers Club.