Silk Road brings China, Cannes in Bucharest

Liu Yifei plays the role of Ying Zi inthe film [Photo/Mtime]

Mungiu explained, "the trend is changing. Before directors were imposing themselves after Cannes by making films in America, now they are making films in China, which is a tremendous market. It is very interesting to introduce to the public something inconceivable before – directors and producers who have no knowledge about Chinese realities but go there to make films because they find the necessary conditions."

Mungiu admitted that he contemplated working with the Chinese film-making industry but, "firstly, there are many things to learn about that part of the world."

"One major aspect for us to learn to conceive is the dozens of millions of consumers of the Chinese market, which puts pressure on us, because the Chinese market is developing like the American one, around the need for the box-office success which will determine the success of the film."

The Chinese market is extremely attractive because "the number of cinephiles is huge, only the niche of the cinema connoisseurs is 100 times larger than our market of consumers, and we can exploit this niche," explained Mungiu.

"Apart from cinema halls, China has cinephile people who are film consumers on their own, watching cassettes in groups, and know in detail the entire cinema and the films being produced by the rest of the world."

Mungiu thought that China has the potential to become a huge market for "the European cinemas that are not in English and are not doing very well economically, as national markets are small."

Remembering his position of president of the Shanghai International Film Festival in 2017, Mungiu confessed that he enjoyed all the winner Chinese films and these films were actually enjoyed by all the members of the jury, who turned out to share core values despite their different cultural tastes.

Moreover, Mungiu admits he loves the new Chinese productions. "The best part of my being in Shanghai Film Festival is the fact that I met a lot of Chinese producers and I am now receiving amazing Chinese films that usually do not reach us, thus getting to know better the Chinese contemporary cinema."

In this context, Mungiu mentions a film that he liked "very much" – A Gentle Night, directed by Qu Yang, screened in Bucharest these days during Les Films de Cannes a Bucarest.

"This year I was on the jury in Cannes and we gave an award to this film! I liked so much this Chinese director that I recommended him to my sales manager for the next film he will make with French support."

Chinese films are susceptible to enjoy vast success in Europe, stressed Mungiu.

The discussion with director Mungiu reveals that the Chinese film market has a huge potential and looks irresistible. Cooperation in film-making is beneficial for everyone, both culturally and economically.