With the support of the Chinese authorities, Unifrance and the French Embassy in China are holding the very first Panorama of French Cinema in Beijing from April 8 through 11, 2004.
10 films have been selected for the event by the China Film Office. They will be screened at the CCPPC (the Chinese "Senate," with seating for 1,072), with French film crews in attendance. This initiative comes in response to the first signs of an opening up of the Chinese market, and is part of a long term policy approach.
The setting up of this initiative follows on from extensive contact between French and Chinese institutions over recent months, and notably the official visit of France's Culture Minister, Jean-Jacques Aillagon, to China in December 2003. During this visit, the Chinese authorities offered many positive signs of receptiveness, and agreed to the concept of a first Panorama of French Cinema, to be held in 2005. However, thanks to the unremitting work of the French Embassy in Beijing and Unifrance and to support from the China Film Office, it has been possible to take up this challenge earlier than expected.
It is clear that the cultural exchange program entitled "France-China Exchange Years" as well as negotiations currently underway between the Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC) and the Chinese authorities for a cooperation agreement have played a significant role in providing impetus for this event. For Unifrance and the French Embassy, this initiative represents a long-term commitment, with, on the one hand, the plan to hold a second Panorama in 2005, probably in several cities, and on the other hand, the desire to support the commercial distribution of French films in China.
In this market of considerable potential, French films traditionally gain exposure on television, and to a far lesser extent in theaters. Recent months, however, have shown encouraging signs, with four French films released on Chinese screens in 2003 and 2004: "Wasabi" by Gérard Krawczyk, "Belphegor: the Phantom of the Louvre" by Jean-Paul Salomé, "The Travelling Birds" by Jacques Perrin and "Fanfan la Tulipe," also by Gérard Krawczyk.
The selection of films made by the China Film Office was based on suggestions from French producers and exporters.
The selection and members of the artistic and professional delegation are as follows (in order of programming at the event):
- "Je reste!" by Diane Kurys (in the presence of the film's director and lead actor, Charles Berling)
- "Les Amateurs" by Martin Valente (in the presence of the film's director, and producer Pauline Duhault)
- "Love Me If You Dare" by Yann Samuell (in the presence of the film's director, and producer Christophe Rossignon)
- "La Prophétie des grenouilles" ("Raining Cats and Dogs") by Jacques-Rémy Girerd (in presence of the film's director)
- "Strange Gardens" by Jean Becker
- "Michel Vaillant" by Louis-Pascal Couvelaire (in the presence of the film's director, and lead actor Sagamore Stévenin)
- "Frenchmen" by Marc Esposito (in the presence of the film's director, as well as actors Zoé Félix, Gérard Darmon and Jean-Pierre Darroussin)
- "The Cost of Living" by Philippe Le Guay (in the presence of actress Isild Le Besco)
- "Le Mystère de la chambre jaune" by Bruno Podalydès (in the presence of the film's producer, Grégoire Sorlat)
- "If I Were a Rich Man!" by Michel Munz and Gérard Bitton (in the directors' presence, along with Jean-Pierre Darroussin and their producer, Charles Gassot)
To obtain the information dossier on this event and the prospects for French films in the Chinese market, please contact:
Magali Montet
Director of Communications, Unifrance
Tel: (33 1) 47 53 27 41
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