Co-produced movies better introduce China globally

Film coproductions that tell Chinese stories with a global common interest receive better feedback from global audiences, according to a report published by the China Film Association Thursday.

The report, which studied the development of the Chinese film industry in 2017, pointed out that co-produced films were still the better choice for the industry to engage in the global film market, as domestic movies so far have not yet gained enough attention or cast much influence to foreign viewers.

"To win applause worldwide, Chinese film producers should combine stories of the Chinese people, with Chinese ideas and common topics and challenges that are widely recognized by a global audience," said Yin Hong, an expert with the association, citing the 2016 monster film The Great Wall and the 2017 action film The Foreigner as examples.

According to Box Office Mojo, The Great Wall, The Foreigner and animal documentary Born in China were the top three Chinese movies in North America in 2017 by ticket sales.

All of the three were co-produced by China and the United Kingdom or United States. They also made a good performance in the Chinese market.

Previously, co-produced movies were either foreign stories with Chinese investment or Chinese stories with advanced foreign technology and services. The former has limited Chinese factors while the latter has limited feedback from overseas market, the report said.

"We can no longer keep telling stories that are only about ourselves but must tell China's stories in a global context," Yin said.

By the end of 2017, China had signed movie cooperation agreements with 20 countries and established close connections with major film production companies in Hollywood.