At 10 o’clock on the morning of April 17, 2018, the 8th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) Salon of Chairman and Film Industry Representatives organized by the BJIFF Organizing Committee Office was successfully held at the Conference Center of Beijing International Hotel. Mr. Hu Dong, Deputy Director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, and Executive Vice Secretary-General of the Organizing Committee, attended and addressed the event. Mr. Bian Jianguo, Vice Inspector of Beijing Municipal Bureau of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television and Vice Secretary-General of the BJIFF Organizing Committee attended the event. The Chairman of the Tokyo International Film Festival Taker?, and the Chairman of the Warsaw International Film Festival, Stephen Loudin, delivered speeches. The event was attended by representatives of such international film festivals as Toronto International Film Festival, Montreal International Film Festival, Nepal International Film Festival, China-US Film Festival, Paris Chinese Film Festival, Canada China International Film Festival, Gwangju International Film Festival, China Image Film Festival, and Jamaica Gatford Film Festival, as well as representatives from the international industry associations including The Polish Film Institute and the Ukrainian Film Institute. The film festival chairmen and industry association representatives are from more than ten countries and regions in Asia, North America, Europe, and Africa, representing the most advanced concepts and development directions of the international film industry. The presence of numerous guests also demonstrated the outstanding brand integration, international influence and extensive industry recognition of the Beijing International Film Festival.
Mr. Hu Dong first expressed his warm welcome to the friends of the film industry from various countries who attended the BJIFF. He also said that the film industry in China has enjoyed sustained, healthy and rapid development in recent years and has made remarkable achievements. In 2017, the total box office in the Chinese film market reached RMB55.911 billion, an increase of 13.45% over the previous year. It has become the second largest film market in the world, with homemade films box office of RMB30.104 billion, accounting for 53.84% of the total box office; 9,597 screens were newly added nationwide to make the total screens up to 50,776, ranking first in the world; the number of admissions in the city theaters was RMB1.62 billion, an increase of 18.08% over the previous year. The Chinese films have continued to maintain a positive and healthy development. The rapid development of the BJIFF cannot be separated from the enthusiastic support of film institutions and filmmakers at home and abroad. The BJIFF Organizing Committee will use the new standards, new heights, and new actions to build the BJIFF into a cultural feast with more international vision, more Chinese style, more Beijing characteristics, and a “gold business card” of Beijing city’s cultural brand. At last, Mr. Hu Dong sent invitations to peers of the world film industry. He hoped to establish a long-term and extensive cooperation with all organizations and institutions that support and love the film art around the world and to share the opportunities and success brought about by the development of Chinese film industry.
The Chairman of the Tokyo International Film Festival, Mr. Taker?, said in his speech that the economic development in China has made the Asian film market particularly active. In 2017, the number of admissions in Japan was RMB176 million, and the total box office was about USD2 billion. Mr. Taker? particularly mentioned that the Chinese-Japanese film co-production directed by Kaige Chen, Legend of the Demon Cat, was widely acclaimed in Japan and triggered an upsurge in Japan just as the Hollywood film. More Chinese films and filmmakers are welcome to participate in this year’s Tokyo International Film Festival. It is also hoped that Asian filmmakers will cooperate sincerely to jointly promote Asian films onto the world stage.
Mr. Stephen Loudin, Chairman of the Warsaw International Film Festival, said in the next speech that he has been attending the Beijing International Film Festival for seven consecutive times and thanked the organizing committee for its kind invitation. Last year, the Beijing International Film Festival also visited the Warsaw International Film Festival. Our two parties have forged profound friendship during many years of cooperation. In recent years, the Chinese films have shone on the world stage. At the Warsaw International Film Festival last year, Chinese films won three awards. It is hoped that the filmmakers of both China and Poland can strengthen cooperation and communication and introduce more outstanding Sino-Polish film co-productions.
As one of the professional activities of the Beijing International Film Festival, the Salon of Chairman and Film Industry Representatives invited the Chairman of the international film festivals and industry leaders, to exchange ideas, learn about international film festivals and advanced industry experience, and show the current development situation of Chinese films and the current cultural hotspots. The success of this salon has actively promoted the development of the film industry and the international culture communication, as well as provided an excellent exchange platform for leaders of the international film industry and a good opportunity for deep and cross-cutting cooperation.
Directed by: Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (National Film Board)
Host: People’s Government of Beijing Municipality and China Media Group
Organizer: Beijing Municipal Bureau of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, Huairou District People’s Government of Beijing Municipality, Beijing TV Station (BTV) and Beijing Enterprises Holdings Real Estate Co., Ltd.