China to award films performing well overseas

HANGZHOU - Chinese authorities are determined to increase the international presence of domestic films, with a fresh government circular promising to award those performing well in the overseas market.

A Chinese producer or agent authorized to handle the overseas business of a domestic film will be awarded if the film's overseas box office reaches at least one million yuan ($153,400), according to a notice published Wednesday by the national film industry development special fund management commission, an institution under the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television.

The circular did not specify how much money will be given out, although it did say that the award amount will not exceed one percent of the film's international box office.

The move is "aimed at guiding more Chinese movies into the global stage" and "encouraging more production of well-performing movies overseas," it said.

The institution also said it would award 20 Chinese films with good "social and economic benefits" each year. Each production will receive "no more than six million yuan" if selected by a commission established by the institution.

It won't be easy compete for that award, however. To be eligible, each film should be viewed by at least 100,000 people, with its domestic box office reaching 20 million yuan, according to the institution.

China's box office sales could reach as high as 66 billion yuan in 2016 before probably overtaking North America's box office in 2017, but the country is struggling to boost the development of domestic films, with quality remaining a stumbling block, experts said.