Shanghai and Hong Kong Deepen Filmmaking Collaboration

Mar 18, 2026 2:22am PT Shanghai and Hong Kong Deepen Filmmaking Collaboration With Formal Agreement at FilMart By Faye Bradley Plus Icon Faye Bradley Latest ‘The Season’ Stars Jessie Mei Li, Chris Pang and More Unveil Global Premiere Date at Buzzy FilMart Presentation 1 hour ago ‘Tea Lounge’ Leads Dream Maker, Nob Prods. Expansion as Shingle Eyes International Markets (EXCLUSIVE) 9 hours ago Documentary ‘I Want to Be a Superstar’ Showcases Story of Female Japanese Boxing Champ Mizuki Hiruta (EXCLUSIVE) 9 hours ago See All Faye Bradley The Shanghai Broadcasting Film & TV Producers Assn. and the Hong Kong Screenwriters’ Guild formally signed an agreement to deepen cooperations on March 19 at FilMart. The Memorandum of Understanding, which spans across content creation, talent cultivation and technological exchange, comes at a time when both cities are reassessing their roles in an increasingly complex global screen economy. Artificial intelligence, short-form dramas and the erosion of traditional production models have left even the most established players grappling with existential questions. Related Stories Timothée Chalamet Kicks Off Asia Tour as 'Marty Supreme' Hits $172 Million Globally, Eyes $200 Million Milestone Chinese Producers Push Microdramas and U.K. Partnerships at Mip London That tension was palpable throughout the Shanghai showcase. The program — led by the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism and the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Radio and Television, and organized by the Shanghai Broadcasting Film and Television Producers Assn. — featured a line-up of executives and creatives who oscillated between cautious optimism and industrywide introspection. Popular on Variety On stage, a slate of projects included 1930s espionage dramas, female-led historical epics and fantasy series. Companies like Bilibili highlighted their global reach, with animation exports spanning more than 190 countries. Hong Kong, once a prolific film powerhouse, is now navigating a period of contraction. As Ng See-yuen of the Hong Kong Film Directors’ Guild and Hong Kong Federation of Film Workers candidly noted, annual film output has dropped dramatically — a reality that lends urgency to form deeper partnerships with mainland counterparts. “If our two cities can join forces to produce films and television content with an international character, that would be a wonderful thing,” he said. Jump to Comments Tom Hiddleston, Hayley Atwell to Reunite for ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ Broadway Revival Hellmann’s New Super Bowl Commercial Mixes Andy Samberg, Elle Fanning With a Song About Sandwiches Broadway Shows Cancel Sunday Evening Performances Amid Massive Winter Storm ‘Rosebush Pruning’ Director Karim Aïnouz on His Twisted, Star-Studded Family Satire: ‘The Way That Patriarchy Has Been Naturalized’ Is ‘Something We Need to Deal With’ (EXCLUSIVE) Megan Thee Stallion to Make Broadway Debut in ‘Moulin Rouge!’ as Gender-Flipped Harold Zidler Why More Hollywood Stars Are Flocking to International Cinema: Bold Auteurs, Creative Freedom and the American Indie Crisis JavaScript is required to load the comments. Loading comments...