TEHRAN – The Cinema Organization of Iran (COI) announced on Wednesday that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with China Film Bureau to expand relations in the film industry.

The MOU was inked by COI director Hossein Entezami and China Film Bureau director Wang Xiaohui, the director of COI Office of Festivals and International Cooperation, Ruhollah Hosseini, said in a press release.

He called signing the MOU a significant action that can open the Chinese film market with thousands of movie theaters to Iranian film products.     

Based on the MOU, both sides agreed to provide the necessary opportunity for each other to screen and offer their film products. 

According to the agreement, Iran and China will also exchange experts on film projects.

Hosseini said that China can use the skills of Iranian directors and screenwriters to raise the quality of their films and Iranian producers can use China’s technical and technological advantages to advance their products.

He also added that the MOU will cause an increase in the number of joint film projects, which have started by Iranian and Chinese filmmakers over the past few years. 

The MOU has been signed for three years and it can be extended for more years.

Chinese film organizations have always been eager to cooperate with Iranian filmmakers on joint projects.

In its 2019 edition, the Shanghai International Film Festival, China’s major film event, organized the session “Focus on Iran: Dialogue between Iranian and Chinese Filmmakers” to discuss collaboration between Iranian and Chinese cineastes.

Speaking at the meeting, the general manager of the China Film Co-Production Corporation, Miao Xiaotian, said that China is willing to collaborate on joint film projects with Iran.

“China has signed co-production agreements with 22 countries. Similar agreements between Iran and China are in the works, and will be signed by the end of this year,” he added.

The CEO of China’s Dirty Monkey Films Group, Wang Yibing, noted that Chinese and Iranian filmmakers share a passion for realistic films. 

“Each country’s complicated social structure and large population provide fertile soil for creativity,” he added.

The manager of the International Relations Department of Iran’s Fajr International Film Festival, Kamyar Mohsenin, also attended the meeting. 

“Governments can work to promote cooperation between countries, but the implementation should be done by filmmakers. Filmmakers need to have more dialogue. Maybe a movie on children’s topics can be a starting point of our collaboration,” Mohsenin said.

Iranian filmmakers have been frequent visitors to the Shanghai film festival.

Iranian director Abolfazl Jalili’s latest drama “The Contrary Route” is among 13 movies that will be contending for a Golden Goblet in the main competition of the festival this year. 

Six other Iranian films, including “Sun Children”, “The Wasteland”, “No Choice” and “Maya”, will be competing in the other categories of the festival.

Photo: Graphic design features the flags of Iran and China.

MMS