Chinese films, TV now more than kung fu

Like many foreigners, 33-year-old Kenyan Mildred had an initial idea that Chinese films and TV programs were all kung fu-style as that was what she had seen on screens.

But things are changing as more Chinese video products are available on the international market.

"When I was a child, the only reason for going to China, it occurred to me, was to learn martial arts, but my thoughts changed recently after watching a Chinese teleplay," Mildred said, referring to Go, Lala, Go!, a hot television drama about a successful Chinese career woman.

With a total box office of 44 billion yuan ($6.9 billion) in 2015, China has become the second-largest film market in the world, following North America.

Additionally, more Chinese movies and TV dramas with diversified subjects and styles are being watched internationally.

Speaking of the Chinese TV drama Shanshan Is Coming, Russian viewer Rutla, who only gave his first name and watched the entire series in a single day, called the drama amazing.

Shanshan Is Coming, about a romance between a girl and her boss, currently ranks No 1 among all Chinese teleplays on Russia's video website Dorama.ru.

The Journey of Flower, Empresses in the Palace, The Three Kingdoms and some other period dramas can be found on the internet with Russian subtitles.

While a limited number of Chinese teleplays have become popular in the United States, Africa has the most fans of Chinese movies and teleplays.

Chinese and Africans have similar values when it comes to family and love, and that resonance promotes the popularity of Chinese storylines in Africa, said Zhang Junqi, executive officer of the Kenyan branch of StarTimes Corp, a Beijing-based private company that runs a Chinese movie and TV drama channel in Kenya.

"Movies softly but profoundly affect people's view about China," Shi Hang, a Chinese scriptwriter, told Xinhua, likening movies to spring rain that silently nourishes everything.

During the recent 69th Cannes Film Festival, the Chinese pavilion welcomed a record number of consultations from international film producers and market managers, who see the potential of the Chinese film industry.

At the festival, Roberto Stabile, an official from Italy's motion picture association, Anica, called for more coproductions between China's and Italy's film industries, saying the combination of Italy's creativity and China's technology can yield favorable results.

Stabile underlined the importance of China's market, both for Italy's audio-visual sector and the "made-in-Italy" products.

However, he believed that there were challenges to entering the Chinese market, as it requires great patience and professionalism.

International cooperation has been a mutually beneficial way for filmmakers and teleplay producers from China and abroad.

Both Wolf Totem - the film coproduced by China and France - and Kung Fu Panda - coproduced by China and the United States - have been successful.

Stabile also wants to promote vintage Italian movies in China, saying he believed many Chinese film fans feel emotionally attached to some Italian masters of the past.