Daily Times

BEIJING: China and Pakistan should take the importation of Parwaaz Hai Junoon as an opportunity to strengthen their exchanges and cooperation in film industry, said Xiao Ping, president of China Film Import & Export Corporation.

It would be most befitting when 2021 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Pakistan, she said in an interview with China Economic Net (CEN).

According to Xiao, the principle to import foreign films to China is “origins, themes and genres in diversity”. “Thanks to Belt and Road Initiative, we have imported films from Pakistan and other countries, so that Chinese audiences would have a better understanding of their history, culture and people." “Parwaaz Hai Junoon is one of the top five highest-grossing films of Pakistan. It is a patriotic story mixing colorful song and dance numbers, a love story and action elements.

In the future we will stay tuned for Pakistani films, take into account their genres and market performance and choose the suitable ones for Chinese audiences,” Xiao Ping told CEN.

In recent years, foreign films with well-written scripts and gripping stories like Chalard games goeng (Thailand), Contratiempo (Spain), Andhadhun (India), Perfetti sconosciuti (Italy) had made a hit in China, winning both box office and public praise. Therefore, according to Xiao’s experience, Pakistani films could draw lessons from their ways of success into China’s film market. “Hollywood and some European countries invest heavily in marketing and promotion for their films, and the publicity of Pakistani films seems to leave room for improvement.”

Second is to nurture audience. “The importation of films from every country follows a process of nurturing audience. Foreign films could be promoted online or on TV in advance to make Chinese audience aware. It's better to cultivate their interest slowly before hitting the big screen.”

Last but not least, the story itself matters. “Now Chinese audiences are more interested in what's going on around them. They are more into down-to-earth issues and small joys and sorrows of everyday life, so the choice of theme and content is critical.”

“The importation of Parwaaz Hai Junoon was a testament to the friendship between China and Pakistan. As next year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between both countries, we hope to strengthen cooperation with Pakistan in film industry and import more Pakistani films to China,” Xiao Ping added.

China Film Group Corporation (CFGC) is the largest and most influential state-run film enterprise in China. Its subsidiary China Film Import & Export Corporation is the only importer of foreign films in China and a major exporter of Chinese films.

Released in China on November 13, the 2018 Urdu-language film Parwaaz Hai Junoon (lit: Soaring Ambitions) tells a story of trials and tribulations of a group of patriotic young cadets who become Pakistan’s best fighter pilots. It is the fifth highest grossing Pakistani film of all time with receipts of $2.1 million in Pakistan and an 8.1/10 rating on IMDb.