Guangzhou events advance Chinese collaboration with global film and TV industries

The 2025 Guangzhou Film Expo and the launch of the first China Film International Market opened on Friday in the Guangdong provincial capital, marking a new step in China's push to deepen collaboration with global film and television industries.

The combined events aim to link exhibitions with transactions and forums with deal-making by bringing together policy dialogue, copyright trading, distribution partnerships, and screening promotion under one roof. Organizers said the format is designed to support international cooperation and expand the global reach of Chinese cinema.

Song Zhiqin, director of Film Art Center of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (CFLAC), said the events are expected to become a platform facilitating exchanges between Chinese and foreign filmmakers. He noted that the launch coincides with the 120th Anniversary of Chinese cinema and the 130th anniversary of world cinema.

Du Xinshan, head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Guangzhou Committee, said the expo would help position Guangzhou as a hub for international film cooperation and contribute to the industry's high-quality development.

International guests highlighted opportunities for co-production and creative exchange. Chookiat Sakveerakul, subcommittee member of the Thai Film Director Association, praised the development of the film and television sector in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and said the expo offers a practical bridge for cross-border collaboration.

Russian director Radik Kudoyarov shared insights on the global appeal of historical and realist productions, while Hong Kong director Lee Lik-chi emphasized emotional resonance and shared cultural understanding incross-cultural storytelling. 

Pok Borak, director of the Cinema and Cultural Diffusion Department at Cambodia's Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, said he looked forward to expanded cooperation in co-productions and talent development.

The Guangzhou city government hosted the events.