China seeks screen links Downunder

By GEORGINA BOND

Top names in China's film industry flew into New Zealand yesterday to learn more about the business here.

The China Film Coproduction Corp's six-strong delegation will explore opportunities for joint production ventures between New Zealand and China in the three-day visit.

Corporation president Xue Guizhi said she saw the visit as marking the start of future co-productions between the two countries.

Yesterday afternoon, the group toured the construction site of the Berkeley Cinema complex in Botany Downs, due to open in December.

The eight-cinema complex will be the biggest and most modern in New Zealand, and will feature luxury seating, three theatres with an exclusive lounge bar and in-theatre dining, and a huge 22m cinema screen. Barrie Everard, chairman of the Film Commission and of the Berkeley Cinema Group, said he did not know of a more modern cinema complex.

Today, the group heads to Wellington to visit the commission, the New Zealand Film Archive and local film studios.

Business manager Xu Shujan said the group wanted to learn more about how the New Zealand Government supported the film industry.

A specific script being discussed for co-production is titled Doctor Doctor - a romantic comedy about a young Chinese woman who comes to New Zealand to study medicine and falls in love with a Pakeha.

Producer George Andrews said the idea had not yet been assessed by the commission. Xue said the corporation was enthusiastic about pursuing the project.