Meeting in France shows success story of documentary makers

The China Media Group's Film, Drama and Documentary Programming Center made a splash with the presentation of a group of compelling documentaries at a recent international event, the center's officials said.

Its offerings at the Sunny Side of the Doc 2023 event in La Rochelle, France included Sino-French coproductions Wild Treasures of China, Beyond the Far Side: the Dawn of the Space Revolution and The Fabulous World of Fungi.

The event, described by organizers as an international marketplace and community for documentaries, was held from June 19-22.

The Wild Treasures of China documentary presents the stories of the survival and reproduction of a number of rare animals living in the nation's wild, focusing on snow leopards, golden snub-nosed monkeys, Tibetan antelopes, Asian elephants and Siberian tigers.

It offers a glimpse into the elusive lives of these wild animals in dense forests, towering mountains and snowy plains, organizers said. Once on the brink of extinction, their populations have experienced a resurgence over the past three decades, thanks to China's conservation efforts and the creation of expansive natural reserves, they said.

An accompanying photo exhibition, capturing breathtaking moments from the filming process, was unveiled during the documentary market event. The two-week exhibition presents the captivating stories of the five rare animal species depicted in the documentary, providing visitors an opportunity to immerse themselves in natural wonders of China.

Another documentary, Beyond the Far Side: the Dawn of the Space Revolution, aims to give global viewers some insights into China's space program and its international collaborations.

In the film, renowned French physicist Christophe Galfard serves as the host, embarking on a journey to meet Chinese scientists and their global counterparts. Through a scientist's narration, the film aims to interpret the impact of China's lunar exploration program from a global perspective, highlighting it as a testament to humanity's continuing pursuit of pushing the boundaries of the unknown, organizers said.

The creators of the documentary, from both China and France, attended the event to share their lessons on how an international group can work together to produce high-quality documentaries.

Shi Yan, producer of the Beyond the Far Side and Wild Treasures documentaries, says that it was during the Sunny Side of the Doc 2019 event that they and their French counterparts agreed to collaborate on the two projects.

"These projects have received multiple awards at international film festivals, gaining widespread influence worldwide," Shi says.

He also expresses the hope for future collaborations with foreign counterparts to explore a broader range of themes.

This year's event brought together more than 2,000 participants from 64 different countries, 1,000 companies, 90 exhibitors and 300 influential decision-makers from major broadcasters, streamers, foundations, sales agents, funding sources and museums on a global scale.

Documentary viewers were highlighted as the theme of this year's Sunny Side of the Doc, given that the genre has been growing in popularity with viewers across the globe, particularly thanks to streamers who have increased documentaries' visibility and attractiveness by driving new forms of storytelling, organizers said.

"Now more than ever, the documentary has established itself as the key genre for channels' and platforms' broadcast programming," says Mathieu Bejot, director of strategy and development for the event.

"Our theme focused on viewers confirms the public's appetite for the genre, especially among younger audiences. While being instructive, informative and a source of entertainment all at the same time, documentaries must also be engaging."

China Media Group, a major voice in radio and television broadcasting, was founded in 2018 with the fusion of enterprises including China Central Television, China National Radio and China Radio International.