The Chinese movie market is booming and production companies are scratching their heads to figure out how to tap this potential gold mine.
Danish film company Zentropa is one of the movie makers who would like to make a move in China and for them it seems that the head scratching is over. In February the company founded Zentropa China with the purpose of finding Chinese partners and producing movies in China, and so far so good.
Zentropa has now presented an idea to some of the largest production companies in China and the interest was overwhelming. In fact during a dinner one of the Chinese producers even offered to close the deal right then and there. Zentropa said no thank you and today the company has three different offers. A contract is expected to be inked in autumn.
”We are talking to companies who have performed well in the market and who have produced major blockbusters. They are doing well economically and haw the network. On the other hand they are simply low on ideas. We have something special in ideas and scripts that the Chinese admires,” said Rikke Ennis, who is the head of the new China division.
Rikke Ennis does not want to go in details about the movie but describes the genre as a romantic comedy were the Chinese audience will have the chance to both laugh and cry. The Chinese relationship with H.C.Andersen and his fairytales also play an important role in the plot.
“The story is set in present day Beijing and a young girl, a true “Ugly Betty” gets a scholarship and the opportunity to go to Odense to write a project on H.C. Andersen’s fairytale. In Odense, things happen and she explores the magical fairytale world, where she learns to believe in herself. She takes that experience with her back to Beijing where she is now ready to seize the world and seize love,” she explains.
At the moment Zentropa is looking for a Danish script writer, and to avoid any cultural mishaps, a Chinese writing partner. The negotiations between Zentropa and potential Chinese partners are in full swing and ambitions are high. The aim is to make a national blockbuster that will be distributed widely to cinemas all over China.
”I hope and believe that we will have a Chinese partner this year. Then we can begin productions next year and have the premiere in 2015,” said Rikke Ennis to Berlingske.
