The bilateral film co-production treaty between China and the U.K. has now entered into effect, following the ratification of the deal.
Ratification was announced Wednesday by U.K. Culture Secretary Sajid Javid and Tong Gang, vice minister at China’s State Administration for radio Film and Television, during the GREAT Festival of Creativity in Shanghai.
The treaty text had been agreed 11 months ago and announced in April 2014 during a British trade mission to China, which included the British Film Institute.
'[The ratified treaty] will allow qualifying co-productions to access national benefits including sources of finance and an easier distribution route to audiences. In the U.K. this includes the Film Tax Relief and the BFI Film Fund, which is the UK’s largest public film fund,” the BFI said.
'In addition, the treaty will mean that all eligible co-productions will be able to be shown in China. Currently China permits only 34 revenue sharing non-domestic titles to be shown in Chinese cinemas each year. As such, many more U.K. films will be shown to Chinese audiences than current restrictions allow.”
Describing the treaty ratification as a “breakthrough” Miao Xiaotian, President of the China Film Co-production Corporation, said: “The British and Chinese film industries have reason to celebrate the signing of the Sino-UK Film Co-Production Treaty, which is now effective, by the two countries’ governments.”
The GREAT Festival of Creativity, is being held at the Long Museum, West Bund, Shanghai, and coincides with the launch of the ‘U.K. China Year of Cultural Exchange,’ which seeks to stimulate creative collaboration between the two countries.