Beijing and London – A programme of events (September 12-18) which will introduce people to a wide selection of recent Chinese films not previously seen in Britain and will facilitate ties between the British and Chinese film and television industries was announced on April 17 at the Beijing International Film Festival.
This combination of activity, Screen China and the British Chinese Film & Television Summit, is being organised by Allied China Europe Society (ACES) with its China partners the China Record Cultural Media Company and CTV Audio-Visual (Beijing) International Culture Exchange Centre. The programme has the full support of China Film Fund and State Administration of Press Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT) and China Film Co-Production Corporation. To participate in this first British Chinese Film and Television Summit, a party of senior officials from SAPPRFT will attend as will an industry delegation which will include more than 200 guests including directors, producers and film stars.
Screen China, the celebration of Chinese culture and film, will take place over four days and nights (September 13-16) as part of the Mayor’s Thames Festival – London’s only river-focused multi-arts festival and the largest of its kind in the world. Some Chinese multi cultural arts organisations will showcase food and handcraft art pieces and there will also be circus and other performances designed to appeal to the general public and tourists from around the world. “To top it all, we have an amazing list of 39 recent, popular films, eight to ten of which we will be showing on outdoor screens around The Scoop at More London in the shadow of the world-famous Tower Bridge,” explained Huilin Proctor, Chief Executive of ACES and Chair of the organising committee.
The British Chinese Film & TV Summit (September 15), which is being supported by China Film Co-Production Corporation and run in partnership with the British Film Institute, will take place at the BFI’s Southbank venue. It will include panel discussions on a range of topics including co-production, film finance and distribution and will also provide unparalleled networking and business matching opportunities to help put UK film makers in touch with potential Chinese contacts and vice-versa. One of the first speakers confirmed is Lord Julian Fellowes (writer of Gosford Park and creator of Downton Abbey) who will also be a guest in the evening of the 15 at a glamorous Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony which will bring together the most prestigious players in Chinese and British film and television.
The British Chinese Film & TV Summit has also confirmed its first sponsor, global law firm DLA Piper. “We hope that being the first to offer our encouragement to the Summit and Screen China will encourage other companies to get in touch,” said Lord Tim Clement Jones, Honorary President of ACES and London Managing Partner of DLA Piper UK LLP.
