An unconventional entry to the mainland

The way Danish film director Nicolas Winding Refn was officially introduced to China was kind of unconventional.

It was through his new 90-second advertorial film for Hennessy X.O, rather than a real film, targeting China via the Internet and traditional TV channels.

The 45-year-old, whose Drive won him the 2011 best director award at Cannes, visited China for the first time on March 1, bringing a short ad film Odyssey made for Hennessy that he insisted on calling a movie. Three months ago, his latest movie The Neon Demon was sold to a Chinese company.