14th SIFF SIFFORUM

The SIFFORUM of the 14^th Shanghai International Film Festival was held from Jun.12 to Jun.18, 2011. Taking “Discovering China, Discovering Value” as its theme, the SIFFORUM consisted of four parts: “President Lecture,” “Industry Summit,” “Film Industry New Wave” and “Master Class.” There were more than ten sections to encourage international brainstorming and to clarify the direction of development.

Part I: President Lecture

Elite Production of the Pan-Media Age

This is the best of times: we have the most convenient tools at hand; we have also the richest entertainment varieties. This is the worst of times as well: with so much at disposal, film has deviated greatly from its original appearance. Film has undergone great changes, no matter its form or its content. Film can be as huge as giant 3D. It can also be as inclusive as a variety show, and also small so as to be adaptable to new media environment. But there are still a number of masters who persist in their elite productions in which they keep their originality in story, their perception of the world, and their belief in film. In our age, are elitist manners still possible? In what way can we stick to elitist idea while we can influence people\'s mind instead of their money? President of this year\'s SIFF will invite several masters to discuss about the elite productions in the pan-media age.

Time: Jun. 17, 9:30-12:00 am

Venue: Jin Jue Ballroom , Crowne Plaza Hotel

Part II: Industry Summit

Industry Summit I. Film Dream in the Era of Capital

Time: 9:30-12:00, June 12, 2011

Venue: Jin Jue Ballroom, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Shanghai

Brief :

In 2010, Chinese film industry made over 10 billion, which encouraged many film companies to step into the capital market. While the capacity and the amount of investment have grown rapidly, the productivity of the film industry and the originality of the stories have not developed proportionally. There are a lot of reasons for this, and this session will invite successful businesspeople and filmmaking professionals to talk from the view of the capital market. To what extent is capital indispensable to the creativity of filmmaking? How can film companies make returns to the capital market?

What are the reasons that most established independent US production companies do not raise money from the capital market? How do they survive? How do Chinese investors and the film industry benefit from Hollywood major studios’ experience?

Addressing Speakers：

ZHANG Pimin, Vice Minister, State Administration of Radio, Film &TV

Rupert Murdoch, Chairman and CEO, News Corporation

Jim Gianopulos, Chairman and CEO, FOX Filmed Entertainment
Panelists:

REN Zhonglun , President, Chairman, Shanghai Film Group Corporation

Thomas Tull, Chairman and CEO, Legendary Entertainment

Mike Medavoy, American Producer

Wendi Deng Murdoch, Co-CEO, Big Feet Productions

Andrew Y. YAN, Managing Partner, SAIF Partners

Martin LAU, President, Tencent

Dennis WANG, President and CEO, Huayi Brothers Media Co., Ltd.

YU Dong, Founder, Chairman & CEO, Bona film group

Moderators:

Hugo SHONG, Founding General Partner, IDG Capital Partners

WANG Ran, CEO, China eCapital Corporation

Industry Summit II. Creating DNA of Co-production

Time: 9:30- 12:00, June 13, 2011

Venue: 1F, Western Hall No.2, Shanghai Exhibition Center

Brief:

As the most active film market in the world, China film market is the only area where the number of screens and the amount of investment are rising. Enjoying the same status as domestic films, co-produced films can get direct access to the Chinese market, which encourages more and more international producers to participate in co-production. However, it is not easy for a co-produced work to merge cultural gaps and gain recognition at home and abroad. If this goal is too hard to realize, then consensus about idea and story is the key to success. But examining the history of co-production, especially between different cultures, we find that there are not many successful examples. Therefore, how to overcome the cultural difference becomes pivotal. Besides the interpretation of co-production policy, this session will also invite famous international directors and cultural critics experienced in co-production to discuss how to achieve success.

Addressing Speakers：

Christopher J. Dodd, Chairman and CEO, MPAA/MPA

Panelists:

Julien Ezanno, Head of International Coproduction, CNC

Shunji IWAI, Director

Philippe Muyl, Director

Jacob Cheung Chi Leung，Director

Nansun SHI, Chairman, Film Workshop

REN Zhonglun , President, Chairman, Shanghai Film Group Corporation

E. Bennett Walsh, Famous producer

Dan Mintz, CEO, DMG Entertainment

Peter Loehr, Managing Director in China, Creative Artists Agency

Moderator:

ZHANG Zhao, CEO, LE Vision Pictures

Industry Summit III. Cinema Revolution: Its Role in Digital Time

Time: 9:30- 12:00, June 14, 2011

Venue: 1F, Western Hall No.2, Shanghai Exhibition Center

Brief:

Is our age one for cinema revolution? As the digital era approaches, Chinese cinemas have experienced great changes in their scale and style. The introduction of giant screens, and the revolutionary digital film projector, provide more possibilities for film. While more and more businesspeople participate in cinema investment, indicating their confidence in cinema potential, more and more films are released in cinemas for only one day. Against such a background of rising box-office returns, mounting productions, and increasing terminal screens, can current content creation still fit the screens and revenue share model? Seen from the entire industry chain, what role should the cinema revolution play? And to what extent should capital and cinema give space to film story? In this session, key statistics in cinema revolution will be examined to discuss the development and influence of cinemas in China.

Panelists:

ZHANG Baoquan, Co-Chairman and President, Antaeus Group CO., LTD.

QIN Hong, Chairman of the Board, SMI Corporation Limited

Bill KONG, Investor of Irresistible Film, President, Hong KONG Edko Films Co., Ltd.

YE Ning, General Manager of Wanda Cinema Line Co., Ltd.

Stuart Bowling, Worldwide Technical Marketing Manager, Cinema, Dolby Laboratories

WANG Xiaoshuai, Director

Irving Chee Huan Tong, General Manager, Golden Screen Cinemas

ZHAO Jun, General manager，Guangdong Province Film Company

GAO Jun, Deputy General Manager, New Film Association Co. Ltd

General Manager, Beijing Shenshi Huarui Film Investment & Management CO.LTD

Moderator:

YIN Hong, Professor of Film and Television Studies, Ph.D. supervisor, Executive Dean of the School of Journalism and Communications and Director of Center for Film and TV Studies, Tsinghua University (TSJC)

Industry Summit IV. Discovering the BlueOcean: New Territory and New Media

Time: 9:30- 12:00, June 18, 2011

Venue: Jin Jue Ballroom, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Shanghai

Brief:

In recent years，the number of films made by China has exceeded 400 annually, but these 400 films can only struggle in the red ocean of cinema lines. Although the number of screens in China is soaring, this red ocean is only available for commercial films. As a result, both commercial and independent films crave the blue ocean outside the cinema lines, and 2010 witnessed a number of successful examples. The development of video websites and 3G mobile phones provides the film industry with further possibilities. This session will invite successful businesspeople from new media to give suggestions on the “blue ocean” of film.

Panelists:

Hark Tsui, Director

ZHAO Haicheng, Assistant President, China Film Group Corporation

President, China Film Group Corporation Production Corporation

Victor KOO, CEO and President, YOUKU.com

MA Zhongjun, Chairman, Ciwen Media Group

LIU Chun, Chairman of Video Department, Sohu.com

WANG Bin, General Manager, Shanghai Mobile Video Operations Center

SUN Zhonghuai, Founder and manager, qq.com

Moderator:

ZHANG Zhao, CEO, LE Vision Pictures

Part III: Industry New Waves

Industry New Waves I. How to Achieve High Box Office

Time: 13:30-17:00 pm, June 14, 2011

Venue: 1F, Western Hall No.2, Shanghai Exhibition Center

Brief:

The most distinct change in the Chinese film market in 2010 is the rising cost of promotion, and the greater variety of means of promotion. It is a complicated task to occupy cinema lines, to attract audience, even to constitute durable influence after the screening of a film. Although different people have their own promotion and marketing ideas, the existing ones may not suit the film industry in the future. So what changes should we make? How do we create a high profile film within short time? This section will discuss the strategy of marketing.

Panelists:

YU Dong, Founder, Chairman &CEO, Bona film

Macro MA, President, Beijing Bu Yi Le Hu Film Company

Patrick Frater, CEO, Film Business Asia

LIU Jia, Movie Market Analyzing Expert

ZHANG Han, Chief Editor of the Entertainment Channel, Sina.com.

WU Hehu, Vice Manager, Shanghai United Circuit

Moderator:

JIANG Wei, General Manager, EDKO (Beijing) Films Limited

Industry New Waves II. Discovering the Next Film Genre

Time: 9：30-12：00, June 15, 2011

Venue: 1F, Western Hall No.2, Shanghai Exhibition Center

Brief:

Some film critics comment that our age is the best of times with regard to film market, but the worst of times with regard to film stories. Indeed, China’s mainstream domestic market only buys one or two kinds of foreign film. And, with their focus on international profit, Chinese directors tend to choose ancient fighting and battling themes; while for the domestic market, they choose comic and even farcical themes. How can the Chinese film industry develop beyond this stereotype, to find new themes?

Panelists:

JIA Zhangke, Director

ZHANG Yibai, Director

Manfred WONG, Director

Dayyan ENG, Director

ZHANG Jinghua, Deputy Editor-in-chief, the Economic Observer

SONG Guangcheng, President, Starlight International Media Group

YANG Zi, Vice President and CEO, China JULI Group

President, China JULI Entertainment Media co. Ltd.

Moderator:

MA Ka Fai, Media professional, Columnist, Culture Critic

Industry New WavesⅢ. The Power of Female Production

Time: 13：30-17：00, June 15, 2011

Venue: 1F, Western Hall No.2, Shanghai Exhibition Center

Brief:

Nowadays there are more women involved in film production, and there are also increasing numbers of women moving away from the screen to work behind the camera. Female participation has changed the investment and industry patterns. These patterns are a perennial target of public and media speculation, but the efforts of these women are important, their influence on film production, and also their ambition and dreams. This section will discuss female production.

Panelists:

Ann HUI, Director, Screen Play

Mabel CHEUNG, Director

CHUI Po Chu, Director, Producer

Maria Grazia Cucinotta, Famous Actress, Producer

Zoe YEN, Famous Leading Talent Agent, General Manager of IT\'S THE BEST Co., Ltd

WONG Chunchun, Director

QIN Hailu, Famous Actress

Moderator:

OU Ning, Artist, Curator, Chief Editor of Literary Bi-monthly Chutzpah Magazine

Part IV: Master Class

Master Class I. Screens Inside

Time: 13:30-14:50, June 12, 2011

Venue: Jin Jue Ballroom, Crowne Plaza Hotel

Brief:

With more than one hundred years’ history, film is now characterized by technology and entertainment. But is the number of the films with heart-touching power increasing or decreasing? Though technology and entertainment ensure a high box office return, a good film should also be based on one\'s inner world. In addition to such tangible aspects as theme, plot, language, picture, structure, and stunts, film producers should also pay attention to the screens inside their hearts. This section of the Master Class will invite two great directors of Chinese film - John Woo and Feng Xiaogang, who are the artistic directors of SIFF’s “Budding Talent Plan” - to discuss with young film producers their experiences of the "screens inside."

Guest Speakers：

John WOO, Director

FENG Xiaogang, Director

Master Class II. Transforming Idea to Feasible Programme

Time: 15:00-18:00, June 12, 2011

Venue: Opal Ⅲ, Crowne Plaza Hotel

Brief:

Without investment, no commercial film or art-house film will succeed. The transformation of an idea to film is a negotiation between producer and director. In what way should they coordinate this process so that the programme be persuasive to, and accepted by, investors? The core of this year’s Master Class will discuss the progress of an idea to a programme. The second section targets the eight programmes enrolled in the "China Film Pitch and Catch” and trains them to persuade investors efficiently face-to-face.

Panelists:

E. Bennett Walsh, Producer

Lorna TEE, Producer

Master Class III. A Director’s Role in Film Industry

Time: 9:30-12:00, June 16, 2011

Venue: Jin Jue BallroomⅡ, Crowne Plaza Hotel

Brief:

In today’s increasingly commercialised film industry, the originality of directors is under threat. Master directors who have shot classic films also face this problem. How can directors coordinate the relationship between creativity and producers, investors, market demands, and personal reputation? How can a director negotiate the needs of international film festivals and the market? These experiences are of great importance for young directors as well as for the whole industry. This will be the advice of the two master directors, as the artistic director of “Budding Talent Plan” of SIFF, for the young directors after they see the “China Film Pitch and Catch” project.

Guest Speakers：

Hugh Hudson, Director, Producer, Screen Play

Bille August, Director

Moderator：

Raymond ZHOU, Film Critic