MPAA begins week-long event to highlight China-U.S. films

The international arm of the Motion Picture Assn. of America will host filmmakers and representatives from the American and Chinese film industries in Los Angeles this week for the third annual China International Co-Production Film Screenings.

Created in 2009 in partnership with China’s State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film & Television, the event highlights the growing bonds between the film industries of both nations.

This year’s program begins Monday night at Universal Studios with a screening of Keanu Reeves’ directorial debut, “Man of Tai Chi.”

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Other movies to be screened this week include the North American premiere of “Finding Mr. Right” from writer-director Xue Xiaolu; the Chinese hit “Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon;” and the love story “A Wedding Invitation.”

“We are excited to celebrate these wonderful films and to continue to strengthen the relationship between the U.S. and Chinese film industries,” MPAA Chief Executive Chris Dodd said in a statement.

“China’s film industry is growing at an incredible pace; having become the world’s second largest box office market in 2012, and increasing its box office even further in the first 9 months of 2013 by 34.9%,” Dodd added. “Chinese co-productions with the U.S. are an important element to that success, and represent a tremendous opportunity for our two countries to learn and benefit from each other.”

The screenings are supported by partnerships with Universal Studios, AMC, the Asia Society, China Film Group Corp., China Film Co-Production Corp., China Lion, CJ Entertainment, IMAX, MTime, Variety and Dalian Wanda Group.

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China has emerged as one of the largest markets globally for American films. Between 2003 and 2012, the Chinese box office grew from $120 million to $2.7 billion.

The country also is in the midst of a multiplex building spree. Last year, 10 new cinema screens were added per day on average, and in the first half of 2013, that number grew to more than 12 screens per day. As of June this year, the total number of screens in China stood at more than 15,380 and is expected to more than double by 2015, the MPAA said.

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