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.
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.
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.
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