Interview: Cooperation with Italy to boost Chinese movies' potential: Italian official

Increasing cooperation with Italy in film-making would enhance the potential of Chinese movies to expand their audience, an Italian official said.

"Italy is working to boost cooperation with China, as a way to help both countries' film industries to expand their market and broaden their audience," Roberto Stabile, who leads the international department of the Italy's National Association of Cinematographic Audiovisual Multimedia Industries (ANICA), told Xinhua in an interview.

The expert made his remarks on the sidelines of "Focus on China", a two-day event devoted to the Italian-Chinese movie cooperation, and organized at the 73rd Venice Film Festival running from Aug. 31 to Sept.10 at the Lido of Venice.

"By combining China's propulsive force, especially on the market, and Italy's creativity and long tradition, we believe Chinese films will have more chances to cross their country's borders," Stabile said.

The ANICA official is also in charge of the ICE-Italian Trade Agency (ITA) audiovisual desk, which has been strengthening its presence and activity abroad in the latest years.

The agency set up a permanent ANICA office in Beijing in July this year, he recalled.

"We have two main reasons for such an initiative: firstly, the Chinese market is huge and operating within it is complex for our filmmakers and producers," Stabile explained.

"Secondly, as we want to cooperate more and more closely with Chinese counterparts, the office will offer guidance and support to Chinese productions interested in filming in Italy. So, its work will run on this dual track."

"One thing we have noticed is that despite having tremendous box office, China's film industry is still struggling to export its movies," Stabile said.

This point might be crucial for future Italy-China cooperation, the expert suggested. Chinese producers would help popularize Italy's films in their country, while Italian professionals would contribute with expertise and know-how to make Chinese movies more "suitable for foreign markets."

Italy's creativity and production experience would be the two specific factors possibly most attractive to Chinese film producers.

"Creativity seems what Chinese want more from us, and we are very strong from this point of view."

Overall, the Italian expert described the Chinese movie industry today as being still young, but having "endless potential."

"A most striking aspect of the Chinese cinema is that is almost entirely devoted to a young audience," Stabile noted.

"Young people make up some 80 percent of the market; therefore, most of what is being offered is for them."

"A possible future goal, of which Chinese producers seem already aware, would be to expand this audience and include people of between the ages of 40 and 50, at least," the head of ANICA international department added. Endit