The Chinese American Film Festival (CAFF) Organizing Committee, the Asian American Cultural and Artistic Foundation, Warner Bros. Discovery, and the Shanghai Film Group launched the "Film Project Pitches Unit" on June 8 to encourage China-U.S. film cooperation on the eve of the 25th Shanghai International Film Festival. 

From left to right: Warner Bros. Discovery China President Gillian Zhao; the chairman of Shanghai Film Group and Shanghai Film Co., Ltd., Wang Jian'er; and James Su, the chairman of the Chinese American Film Festival and Chinese American TV Festival pose for a group photo at a press event to jointly announce the launch of the "Film Project Pitches Unit" for the 19th Chinese American Film Festival in 2023 on the eve of the 25th Shanghai International Film Festival in Shanghai, June 8, 2023. [Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Discovery China]

The collaborators announced at the Shanghai Film Art Center that the upcoming 19th Chinese American Film Festival, slated for November 2023, will see the premiere of the "Film Project Pitches Unit." This initiative, a first in the 19-year history of the Chinese American Film Festival, is co-hosted by the CAFF Organizing Committee and the Asian American Cultural and Artistic Foundation and co-launched in partnership with Shanghai Film Group, with Warner Bros. Discovery as its sponsor.

During the launch event, James Su, chairman of the CAFF and Chinese American TV Festival (CATF) and the Asian American Cultural and Artistic Foundation, Gillian Zhao, president of Warner Bros. Discovery China, and Wang Jian'er, chairman of Shanghai Film Group, signed a cooperation agreement to explore new overseas markets for Chinese films.

This year's "Film Project Pitches Unit" is dedicated to discovering creative talent in the film industry from China and the U.S. The initiative aims to identify outstanding projects from the film industries of both countries that exhibit international, artistic, and thoughtful qualities, honor them, and provide comprehensive support.

Warner Bros.' Zhao said, "This year, Warner Bros. celebrated its 100th birthday, and we are honored to create such a meaningful strategic partnership with the CAFF and Shanghai Film Group at this special moment. Through this unit, we hope to discover a new generation of film talents, help them realize their dreams and create co-production opportunities that achieve global success."

Su noted that the unit's establishment aims to inspire young filmmakers to carry forward excellent traditional culture while promoting innovative development in sync with the times. It also seeks to combine unique cultures from around the world with Chinese culture with an open mind and inclusive approach. "By discovering and supporting high-quality works, we can further enhance the advancement and internationalization of film and television culture in the new era," Su stated.

The CAFF Organizing Committee will invite experts and scholars from both countries to form a judging committee to review and select applications. Selected outstanding China-U.S. film projects will receive support and ultimately be incubated into excellent films with market potential. The "Film Project Pitches Unit" aims to promote the cooperation and co-production of Chinese and American films, further cementing the CAFF's role as a bridge in cultural exchanges between China and the U.S. and promoting mutual learning between Chinese and international cinema.

The "Film Project Pitches Unit" is open to all film projects produced in Chinese or English. Feature films must have a complete script ready for shooting. Applicants must provide a brief outline of no more than 100 words, a story synopsis of no more than 5,000 words, and a full script (in both Chinese and English). Moreover, only films that have not yet started shooting and completed financing activities will be eligible. Projects that have not participated in other film markets or pitches will be given priority. Chinese film projects must have the potential for public screening in China and commercial or artistic value.

The "Film Project Pitches Unit" will award one prize for the "Jury Special Recommendation Project" (also known as the "Warner Bros. Discovery Special Award"), along with second and third prizes. All winning works will receive different levels of cash rewards and comprehensive resources provided by the jury. Additionally, all shortlisted film projects will be awarded the title of "Excellent Project Pitches" at the 19th Chinese American Film Festival in 2023.

The application deadline is Aug. 31, Los Angeles time. Applicants can submit their project materials through the official website of the Chinese American Film Festival at www.cafilmfestival.com.

The CAFF and CATF are two grand annual events organized by EDI Media Inc. (USA), with support from authorities and companies from both China and the U.S. The CAFF has gained official recognition as a significant cultural event in the U.S. Congressional Record, securing its place in U.S. history. It holds the distinction of being the only Chinese-American film and TV cultural exchange event to have received letters of recognition from two U.S. presidents – Barack Obama and George W. Bush. Additionally, it was recognized by the Chinese-U.S. High-Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange, earning national significance.

During the press event, the CAFF Organizing Committee and Shanghai Film Group announced that the former invited the latter to co-host the film and television market and summit forum during the 19th CAFF. Additionally, they will assist Shanghai Film Group in promoting their film and animation intellectual property copyright to overseas markets. This includes joint international market development, overseas promotion and publicity, and seeking more business cooperation opportunities. Shanghai Film Group also invited the CAFF Organizing Committee to participate in an international filmmaker's club created by Shanghai Film Group. The goal is to attract more outstanding international filmmakers to jointly build a space for film creation and build a new bridge for Chinese films to go global.

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