China, Australia seek extensive film cooperation

Australian students perform at the closing ceremony of the Australia China International Film Festival in Adelaide, Australia, on Nov. 21, 2024. (Photo by Xie Sida/Xinhua)

"To be even stronger, we have the potential to grow our industry enormously by working with China," said Tony Coombs, CEO of Australia's Harvest Pictures Group, who has been engaged in film and television exchanges between the two countries for more than 10 years.

by Zhang Jianhua, Zhang Na, Li Huizi

ADELAIDE, Australia, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese and Australian filmmakers upgraded their cooperation during the Australia China International Film Festival, which closed on Thursday in Adelaide, saying they will "make their storytelling intertwined better."

"To be even stronger, we have the potential to grow our industry enormously by working with China," Tony Coombs, CEO of Australia's Harvest Pictures Group, who has been engaged in film and television exchanges between the two countries for more than 10 years, told Xinhua on Thursday.

Chinese Consul General in Adelaide Li Dong told the film festival's opening ceremony last Thursday that it is gratifying to see the strengthening of people-to-people exchanges and cooperation between China and Australia, and this film festival is a useful attempt to promote mutual understanding between civilizations.

A number of Chinese films on display have shown the social and humanistic landscape of contemporary China and the charm of Chinese culture, allowing Australian audiences to better understand and appreciate a real, concrete China, Li said.

MAKE STORYTELLING INTERTWINED BETTER

"The Chinese storytelling and script writing is strong, and the production quality gets better all the time," Coombs said, adding Australia and China need to have more co-productions.

"China has thousands of years of storytelling, so if you want good stories, and you dig deep into the Chinese culture, they are all there ... We have similar values at a basic level, so the only connection we need is to just make the storytelling intertwined better," Coombs said.

Citing Monkey King as an example, Coombs said it is a long and brilliant story, but in order to take the Monkey King film overseas, the full story needs to be told and produced in a more slightly Western way.

Coombs highlighted the importance of the film festival in fostering cultural ties between countries, which is crucial for international collaboration in the screen industries, providing rare opportunities to meet talented individuals and understand market trends, storytelling, production, and distribution dynamics.

Former Australian Minister of Trade, Investment and Tourism Andrew Robb said he supported a lot of legislation to provide incentives for the film industry, and for other countries including China to come to Australia and make movies.

"The film festival has transcended more than cinema. It has served as a dynamic platform for cultural exchange and collaboration between Australia and China," said Robb, also the festival's honorary chairman.

Chinese movies have been exploring effective ways to go international in recent years, said Zhou Jiandong, vice chairman of the China Film Producers' Association, adding the film festival is of great significance for bilateral cooperation.

Yu Lu, the film festival's chairperson, said at the closing ceremony held on Thursday, that the festival provides a platform for Australian and Chinese filmmakers to showcase their creativity, and is particularly supportive of emerging filmmakers, offering them the opportunity to shine on the international stage and gain inspiration from industry veterans.

The festival is not just a celebration of film, but also a symbol of friendship and cooperation between the two countries and a commitment to nurturing young talents, Yu said.