An annual event aimed at building a bridge between the film industries in the U.S. and China, the 4th U.S. China Film and TV Industry Expo (UCFTI Expo) is set to open on October 19 and 20 in Los Angeles, expo organizers announced during the 7th Beijing International Film Festival on Wednesday.
The expo will consist of a film competition for student works, creative and technical workshops, a film funding showcase, as well as panel discussions on the TV industry.
Talking about China-U.S. film and TV industry cooperation, Bennett Pozil, executive vice president of East West Bank, an organization that has provided financial support for film and TV works in China for years, stressed the importance of international cooperation, "Every attempt people make to work together takes the industry forward."
Pozil pointed to Zhang Yimou and Legendary's The Great Wall, which performed poorly both critically and financially, as an example.
"It's pretty easy for everybody to say something negative about it, but the positive side is they are trying to take co-production forward," he said.
Bianca Chen, founder and CEO of the UCFTI Expo, pointed out that true co-productions are more involved than many in the film industry think.
"It's not just about adding Chinese elements in, more important is that both sides cooperate equally," she said at the conference.
