Dunedin hosts the first official China Film Festival this weekend, an offering of six Chinese films accompanied by some of the biggest names in the industry.
"The Chinese delegation is the equivalent of Hollywood executives coming to town,'' according to Enterprise Dunedin Ara Toi arts strategy co-ordinator Antony Deaker, who organised the visit.
"These are big name players in the industry and we are privileged to be hosting them.'''
Led by Teng Junjie, director of Farewell My Concubine and editor-in-chief of the Shanghai Media Group, the delegation arrived in Dunedin on Thursday.
The group included top executives from major film and media corporations, including Joycore Picture (Shanghai) Co Ltd chief executive Dr Chen Le, IMAX Corporation chief executive Cehn Jiande, Kiantiing Pictures executive director Jin Song, Golden Concord holdings vice-secretary general Xu Zhenyu, the Shanghai Film Distribution and Exhibition Association, and more. Two Shanghai journalists are accompanying the delegation.
The visit has been organised in partnership with the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Shanghai office and the Shanghai Film Federation.
Mr Deaker said there was a busy schedule, "including a series of business meetings, networking opportunities, and activities to showcase Dunedin''.
Among the organisations visited by the group were Animation Research Ltd, NHNZ, and the University of Otago.
The delegation visited Waitati and the Orokonui Ecosanctuary earlier in the week.
Last year, Enterprise Dunedin signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Shanghai Media Group, and an MOU with the Shanghai Film Federation would be signed during this visit, Mr Deaker said.
Screenings on Sunday
2pm: Coming of age tale Park Shanghai, directed by Kai Kevin Huang, Regent Theatre.
7pm: Fantasy-action-adventure Time Raiders, directed by Daniel Lee, Regent Theatre.
Toitu Otago Settlers Museum have arranged screenings of documentary Journey to Lan Yuan and a collection of Otago-made short films will screen in the tower at Dunedin Chinese Garden.
BRENDA.HARWOOD @thestar.co.nz
