The perfect blend

Alina Y.Qiu (L3) has worked with many Hollywood stars.

Silver Bear winner not afraid of risks

A global stage

With the boom of Chinese domestic films and the difficulties of co-productions, Hollywood studios have changed strategies.

Besides exporting franchise blockbuster-type quota films to China, they have been trying to invest in Chinese domestic films targeted at the Chinese market, such as Hot Summer Days by 20th Century Fox and Gone With the Bullets by Sony.

In the meantime, more Chinese film companies and investors have started stepping out of their comfort zone, where they were only willing to invest for China rights in co-productions. Now an increasing number of them are willing to finance Hollywood films with or without Chinese elements.

With the diminishing charm of co-productions, bilingual producers have gone through a tough time. But Qiu is optimistic and believes new opportunities are arising.

"Bilingual producers should make good use of their specialties to make Chinese films with Hollywood standards, or make English-language films with China financing."

Right now, she is working on a slate of film projects. Among them are a dramatic comedy shot in the United States but targeted at the Chinese market with mixed cast, crew and dialogue, and an English-language 3-D science fiction fantasy targeting the Western market with Chinese financing and import potential.

Qiu has found a group of talented filmmakers she would like to work with as a result of her frequent trips to Los Angeles in recent years.

Educated at top US film schools, many of the filmmakers and Oscar-level visual-effect teams are bilingual and bicultural.

"I love movies with human elements - Sideways, Slumdog Millionaire, The Kids Are All Right, Little Miss Sunshine," she says.

"Producers are all about striking a balance between money and content. My goal is to tell stories that not only sell but also inspire and enlighten people, no matter what nationalities they are."

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