As China's box office continues to grow, and with increased investment from Chinese companies in the field of entertainment, content providers are incorporating global market audiences in strategic planning. This is a key moment for U.S. and Chinese industry leaders to educate each other about opportunities in their respective markets.
"We are thrilled to have helped open the door for these important relationships and connections taking place between the U.S. and China," said Bianca Chen, CEO of the UCFTI Expo. "In partnership with The Hollywood Reporter, the MPA and the China Film Co-Production Corp., we are confident that this year's Expo will build even stronger bonds between the two industries as companies adjust to the evolving consumption patterns of today's viewership."
Shifting its location from previous years, the 2016 Expo will be held at the Regal Cinemas L.A. Live for a series of industry panels, one-on-one discussions and keynotes. Last year's highlights included sessions on the future of content delivery, reaching China's millennials through digital, entertainment real estate and more. Speakers included influential executives and thought leaders from Oriental Dreamworks, China Media Capital, Fosun Pictures, Warner Bros. Entertainment, Dragongate and East West Bank, among others, along with panels from the Producers Guild of America (PGA) and the Writers Guild of America (WGA). Deal-making and financing, one of the Expo's most attended panels, will once again be sponsored by O'Melveny and Myers LLP.
"The UCFTI Expo is emblematic of the blending between the U.S. and Chinese film and television industries," said John Amato, President, Entertainment Group, The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard. "We are excited to help bring together industry leaders from the two giants of entertainment, facilitating the mutually beneficial deals that will reach across borders and shape our entertainment for years to come."
The opening ceremony gala and Golden Screen Awards, which honors individuals and companies for excellence in Co-Productions and international relations, will be hosted by the MPA and China Film Co-Production Corp. at Club Nokia on Wednesday, November 2.
To close the Expo, the 2016 UCFTI Film Competition awards will take place on Thursday, November 3. The film competition expands upon its inaugural ambitions, now accepting entries from student filmmakers of the University of Southern California, School of Cinematic Arts (USC), Chapman University and California State University, Northridge (CSUN) for a grand prize of 5,000 dollars. The 2015 UCFTI Film Competition screened 65 entries from USC alone, with Alexandre Peralta taking home the grand prize for his documentary film, "Looking at the Stars."
To learn more about the Expo, exhibiting, sponsoring or attending, please visit ucftiexpo.com.
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Press Contact: Melissa England melissae@finnpartners.com (310) 552-4163
