Beijing films shine along the Nile, a testament to the exchange of civilizations and the convergence of light and shadow. The 45th Cairo International Film Festival is underway. Beijing films are seizing this opportunity to promote themselves overseas and shine on a broader stage through a series of exciting activities, including film market promotion, “Beijing Film Night”, and filmmaker exchanges.

On the evening of November 14 local time, the “Beijing Film Night” themed cocktail party took place in Cairo. This marked the event’s inaugural appearance in Egypt. Under the glow of lights from the buildings on both banks and the reflected radiance of the cruise ships on the river, the Nile shimmered with a vibrant splendor. At the riverside event venue, Beijing films took center stage for the night, with Chinese and Egyptian filmmakers gathering together to discuss collaboration.

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At the event, nearly 300 guests watched a promotional video of Beijing films and a retrospective video of the 14th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF). Zhao Weidong, Deputy Minister in charge of daily work at the Publicity Department of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the CPC and Vice Chairman of the BJIFF Organizing Committee, introduced Beijing’s film resources and achievements, “As a cultural hub of China, Beijing gathers the nation’s top film resources and talents, with over 5,000 institutions dedicated to film production, accounting for approximately 40% of China’s total film enterprises, and producing more than 200 films annually...” Zhao highlighted that Beijing brought a selection of representative films to present to Egyptian and Middle Eastern cinema enthusiasts; besides, the BJIFF and the Cairo International Film Festival signed a memorandum of cooperation aimed at fostering the prosperity of both film industries. “We are eager to share resources and learn from each other with our Egyptian counterparts, to jointly promote the flourishing of our film industries, explore new models and pathways for film cooperation, and contribute wisdom and strength to the prosperity of the global film industry.” Zhao stated.

Amidst the clinking of glasses and cheerful conversations, the germination of some film collaborations was taking shape. Hisham Abdel Khalek, once one of Egypt’s most renowned producers, having made hundreds of films, all of which were major productions, is now the Chairman of the Egyptian Film Chamber. “Beijing Film Night” provided him with an opportunity to meet Chinese film management institutions and filmmakers. “I plan to hold a China-Egypt Film Week, inviting Egyptian filmmakers to China to discuss cooperation for a week, and then invite Chinese filmmakers to Egypt.”

“Beijing Film Night” aims to introduce the development of Beijing’s film industry to the world, promoting Beijing-based film companies and the BJIFF. Zhang Donglin, the Deputy Director of the BJIFF Organizing Committee Office, introduced that since 2015, the event has been held overseas multiple times, including in Cairo, Toronto, Los Angeles, Busan, Warsaw, and more, with the participation of over a thousand industry elites. “Beijing Film Night” has become an important social platform for cultural exchanges, transactions, and the promotion of cooperation between China and other countries in the film industry.

The big screen continuously played trailers of excellent Chinese films and the promotional video for the BJIFF. Posters of films such as The Dumplings Queen and Operation Leviathan showcased the creative achievements of Beijing’s film industry in recent years. The booth displayed promotional materials from major Beijing film companies... On the afternoon of November 15, local time, the China · Beijing Film Joint Booth made its debut at the Cairo International Film Festival’s film market, attracting a large number of filmmakers from Egypt and the Middle East to inquire and negotiate.

The China · Beijing Film Enterprise Brochure distributed on-site not only provided detailed information and contact details in both Chinese and English about top film companies, including Alibaba Pictures, As One Production, Enlight Pictures, Bona Film Group, and Poly Film, but also highlighted Beijing’s newly introduced “Film and Television Production Service Mechanism,” inviting domestic and international film and television crews to film in Beijing. As the film market had just begun, the brochures were already handed out, indicating their popularity had exceeded expectations.

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“I have just finished shooting a documentary about child labor in Africa and would like to register for the BJIFF. Could you provide me with a contact method?” “I can help promote Chinese films internationally by placing a link to your website on our homepage.” “I am from the Saudi Film Association and would like to invite Chinese film companies and filmmakers to visit and exchange in Saudi Arabia.” The joint booth was one of the largest at the film market, and in just one afternoon, it had seen a steady stream of international filmmakers with various intentions. However, they all sent out a strong signal: the Chinese film market has unlimited potential and great opportunities, and Beijing, as the cultural center of China, is the best target city for China-foreign film cooperation.

“Over the past few days, I have been deeply touring Egypt. The mysterious and awe-inspiring pyramids, the murals on the temples of Luxor have captivated me. I also hope that Egypt can love our Chinese films as much as I love Egyptian culture.” On November 15, local time, Chinese director Chen Sicheng was awarded the Golden Pyramid Award-Honorary Award at the Cairo International Film Festival. He brought his new film Decoded to the festival for its African premiere, and the enthusiastic audience response surprised and delighted him. In just a few days, Chinese and international filmmakers have engaged in deep exchanges and interactions, elevating understanding and cooperation to a new level.

“For Chinese films to go global, first, the creation must be based on themes that align with universal human values and find storytelling methods that are universally understood, producing more works that can be comprehended and resonate emotionally with audiences from different countries. Secondly, there needs to be more distribution channels and the establishment of more platforms for film exchanges and cooperation. For example, events like the Chinese Film Week and Beijing Film Night at the Cairo International Film Festival, as well as Chinese film screenings, allow Egyptian audiences to be exposed to, understand, and fall in love with Chinese cinema. This requires time and joint efforts from both sides,” Chen Sicheng said, adding that his trip to Egypt has already provided him with a wealth of creative inspiration, and he wishes to create stories that combine the innate mystique of ancient Egyptian civilization.

At the film forum of the Cairo International Film Festival, filmmakers from around the world engaged in discussions on the theme of “cross-border film production”. Zhang Bo, President of Maoyan Films, expressed his anticipation of enhancing cooperation and cultural exchanges with Egypt and the Arab region through various forms. “On one hand, there are increasing opportunities for co-productions, not only in terms of production and film making but also in terms of collaboration with actors and creative teams, as well as location shooting. On the other hand, we also look forward to more excellent films from both sides being released in each other’s markets. For instance, our National Day film Panda Plan will be screened in Egypt in the future, and we hope this film can bring joy to the local audience.”