New Zealand-China Film And TV Co Production Pact Signed

New Zealand has signed a TV and film co-production agreement with China. It was signed on Thursday in Wellington, by Maggie Barry, New Zealand's Minister for Arts and Cai Fuchao of China's Administration for Film and Television.

Benefit for New Zealand

The co-production agreement seeks to open up joint film and television projects for official co-production status. The approved projects will get funding in line with domestic programmes in each country, reported scoop.nz. Commenting on the agreement, New Zealand's minister Ms Barry said, "New Zealand television producers will now get more opportunities to access the Chinese market by working with Chinese producers on official co-productions."

Initially, the agreement will guide animation and documentary projects before taking up bigger projects in the long run. The agreement will help New Zealand producers in securing overseas finance, assistance with temporary immigration and import of equipment, reported Hollywood Reporter. "This will be an exciting opportunity for New Zealand and Chinese television producers. The cultural benefits are significant in the years ahead," added Ms Barry. New Zealand already maintains co-production agreements with Australia, Canada, Italy, Singapore, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Ireland, South Africa, Spain and the United Kingdom.

Fund For Films

The new pact will build upon on the existing New Zealand-China Film Co-Production Agreement signed in 2010. The film and TV agency of New Zealand, Film Commission, has already announced a $785,000 film finance fund for eligible co productions. Though a film treaty was signed with China in 2010, so far no feature co-production has been made. It is learnt that a kids' fantasy adventure "The Wonder 3D" is under pre-production stage and will become the first official China-NZ coproduction. The producers are Paul Lin's Beijing-based Show & Share Entertainment alongside Iron Films and Friendship Films. The visiting Chinese president Xi Jinping hoped the new treaty would "strengthen cultural ties between the two countries."

Mr.John Crawford, NHNZ general manager also said, "We have been collaborating with China for decades and hope the new treaty would give offer more resources under treaty-based co-productions". Crawford said he is excited to see NHNZ's relationship with China is being deepened and noted the launch of the feature film co-production fund and an upcoming delegation visit to China would unveil more projects.