Abstract:
Since China’s accession to WTO in 2001, its film industry has faced radical changes in terms of relations with foreign cinema along the path towards progressive marketization and globalization of the media sector. Many companies and international cinema players have been trying to make their way into this rapidly expanding market while the US negotiated film export to China on an institutional level, aiming to increase its foreign film import quota. That of Sino-foreign co-production is a cross-cultural, cross-market tool often used to get past film distribution restrictions and generate revenue for all parties involved in the making: this research focuses on the present possibility for Italian film industry in particular to successfully cooperate with the Chinese one, leading to products fitting needs of both markets in nowadays global film landscape. Analysis is conducted within the film industry business and legal framework. The first chapter presents a brief history of foreign film reception in China, while the second one centers on Sino-foreign co-production and its characteristics and contractual implications, also from the European and Italian point of view. The last one, discussing case studies and future perspectives, focuses on concrete examples of successful co-productions and related projects. In the end, thanks to the literature analyzed (mainly recent books by Chinese media scholars such as A. Kokas, W. Su and others) and taking into account regulation & agreements as well as industry forums and initiatives aiming to facilitate Sino-European film collaboration, present scenarios and possibilities for Sino-Italian film co-production will be outlined.
