Working out the gaps in the film industry

It was kind of surprising to read about China's announcement in February that it intends to more than double the value of its entertainment and cultural industries to nearly 3 trillion yuan ($461 billion) over the course of the next five years. The goal: Encourage domestic consumption and promote Chinese culture abroad. The amount the country, government, industry or whoever is willing to shell out is pretty significant, especially considering that the country limits the number of foreign movie releases to about 20 per year.

It's understandable and reasonable to expect China to focus on developing its own entertainment industry. More openness with foreign entertainment industries, particularly film, could help accomplish some of its goals.

And with Chinese actors, writers, directors and producers with experience working in Hollywood returning to their home country, there's even more reason to take advantage of their knowledge to help China's burgeoning film industry. And they're eager to be a part of the action.