On Wednesday 15 June 2016, Guy Daleiden and Françoise Lentz of Film Fund Luxembourg (FFL), as well as Paul Thiltges of the Union Luxembourgeoise de la Production Audiovisuelle (ULPA) will return from a five-day visit to China at the invitation of the Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF).

The delegation participated in the opening of the special focus "Luxembourg", held on the sidelines of the festival with the screening of six Luxembourg films: "The New Testament" (Jaco van Dormael - Juliette Films); "Eng nei Zäit" (Christophe Wagner - Samsa Film); "Foreign Affairs" (Pasha Rafiy - Les Films Fauves); "The Road Uphill" (Jean-Louis Schuller - Paul Thiltges Distributions); "Baby(a)lone" (Donald Rotunno - Iris Productions); and "Voices from Chernobyl" (Pol Cruchten - Red Lion).

The initiative was created with the support of the Ambassador of Luxembourg in Beijing, Paul Steinmetz, the Consul General of Luxembourg in Shanghai, Luke Decker and project manager, Max Doerner.

Two Luxembourg-German co-productions from Iris Productions, namely "The Dark Side of the Moon" by Stephan Rick and "Colonia" by Florian Gallenberger also figured on the programme of the "Germany" focus.

Throughout their trip, the delegation met with officials from the China Film Foundation, the training centre of the Shanghai Theatre Academy, the China Film Culture Institute, the China Film Promotion International and the online platform Youku to discuss opportunities and synergies in promotion, distribution and training in the Luxembourg audiovisual production sector.

"This is the second time, after Beijing in 2013, we are organising a Luxembourg focus in China and I am alwasy amazed at the interest and receptivity that the Chinese public brings to European works," commented Guy Daleiden. "I am convinced that in addition to economic and financial relations, there is a real potential for an artistic, cultural and creative collaboration between Luxembourg and China."

"This expedition allows me to see changes in the distribution of Luxembourgish and European films in China," Paul Thiltges added. "Quotas are about to fall and European arthouse films will also have access to the film market and VOD."

The trip was closed by a visit to the Shanghai Animation Film Studio and the Shanghai Film Museum.

 

Photo by Film Fund Luxembourg