Chinese demand for British TV such as Doctor Who and Sherlock rose 40 percent last year, netting the British economy over RMB166 millon in revenue – not bad for a country of just over 60 million people (or, in Chinese terms, a medium-sized province).
Capitalizing on this surge in popularity is the newly launched Great British Online Film Festival – a showcase of the very best in British cinema, including a range of films that have been previously unavailable for release in China. Free-to-view via the video portal LeTV.com until December 12 (VPN not needed), the festival includes 37 features curated by the British Film Institute (BFI) and 20 short films programmed by ShortsTV.
Many of the films have either won, or been nominated for prestigious international awards, and feature some of Britain’s most famous acting talent, including Benedict Cumberbatch, Dame Judi Dench and Martin Freeman.
During the launch party for the Festival, held at the residency of British Ambassador Sir Sebastian Wood in Beijing, we met with young British actor Freddie Fox, star of short film Freeze Frame, which was produced especially for the festival. Fox, who was on-route to Shanghai to shoot the final scene of the movie before its release this month, elaborated on the appeal of working in China.
Star of Freeze Frame, Freddie Fox, discusses the film festival (all photos by Noemi Cassanelli)
“Of all the arts today, I think film is perhaps the most universal medium. No matter where you come from in the world, you can connect with film. Combine that with the power of the Internet and you have something very exciting. It really fascinates me, as an actor, to think that young people in obscure parts of China will be able to a have access to all these classic British movies. And of course, in the future, I hope we can reciprocate that and introduce British audiences to Chinese cinema.”
Fox, who stars along Chinese lead Tian Yuan in Freeze Frame, described his experience with the Festival as something an education. “I’ve never been to China before – so I felt it was an opportunity to learn about the culture, as much as it was to share British culture with others. Chinese culture is so open to new ideas right now – everyone is travelling, visiting new places and absorbing different cultures, so the idea of connecting with that energy was a big draw for me. Of course, working alongside great talents such as [Freeze Frame director] Anthony Fabian, also helped.”
Fox’s co-star, former Beijing musician-turned-actress and film director Tian Yuan, suggested that Chinese audiences were becoming more receptive to new creative ideas.
Freddie Fox's Freeze Frame co-star, Tian Yuan, at the launch of the festival
“I think the Internet has changed everything – maybe ten or so years ago, people were unable to access different cultures, and that meant that people were not so open-minded. But today, ideas from across the world are just a click away. This helps to inspire people...
“It’s the same for filmmakers too. You no longer need expensive cameras – or studio equipment. Today, you can edit everything on a Macbook and then post it onto Youtube. Chinese people feel the world is more open, and so they’re looking for inspiration.”
That sense of inspiration is leading many to travel oversees, with film – and, increasingly, television – becoming a key driver of tourism in Britain. When Daniel Craig and Judi Dench, as James Bond and M, stood surveying the lush landscape of Glencoe, millions of cinemagoers admired it too – and the mountain has since seen the number of visitors increase by more than 40 percent in.
When Harry Potter dipped and dived on his broomstick at his first Quidditch lesson, Alnwick Castle played the role of Hogwarts – and saw an increase in visitors of 230 percent, boosting the local economy by some RMB80 million. The Castle now even hosts Quidditch lessons for visitors.
“It’s exciting to think that film can play such an important part in helping to bring people together,” says Tian. “If you look at China, film could have a similar effect here too. I think this type of online film festival will inspire a lot of young people in China, and so maybe in the future we will see people visit parts of China because of films shot here.”
// For more info on the festival, visit filmisgreat.cn
The festival has a great selection of obscure, cult classics. Here’s our pick of the best:
Battle of Britain (1969)
Dir.: Guy Hamilton
This ambitious, all-star account of one of the defining battles of the Second World War remains one of Britain’s most expansive – and expensive – war films. A roster of Britain’s finest acting talent was lined up to portray this defining moment of the nation’s war-time resistance, including Laurence Olivier, Michael Caine, Trevor Howard, Edward Fox and Susannah York. The film’s spectacular recreations of aerial battles were ground-breaking at the time and remain highly impressive today. Director Guy Hamilton (who also directed several James Bond films) ensures that the drama is tightly woven even when the action switches to the quieter tactical manoeuvres on the ground. A rousing and exciting epic.
Midnight Express (1978)
Dir.: Alan Parker
A collaboration between two of the biggest figures in 1980s British cinema, producer David Puttnam and director Alan Parker, and an up-and-coming screenwriter from the USA, Oliver Stone, Midnight Express was a huge success that put all its key contributors on the map. An adaption of Billy Hayes’ recollections of his time in Turkish prison, the film shocked and absorbed audiences upon its release and continues to enjoy cult success, not least for Giorgio Moroder’s pulsating electronic soundtrack.
Radio On (1979)
Dir.: Christopher Petit
Chris Petit’s cult classic Radio On is one of the most striking feature debuts in British cinema – a haunting blend of edgy mystery story and existential road movie, crammed with eerie evocations of English landscape and weather.
Stunningly photographed in monochrome by Wim Wenders’ assistant cameraman Martin Schäfer, Radio On is driven by a startling new wave soundtrack featuring David Bowie, Kraftwerk, Lene Lovich, Ian Dury, Wreckless Eric, Robert Fripp and Devo, and reveals an early screen performance by Sting.
Following a young London DJ (David Beames) on the road to Bristol to investigate the mysterious death of his brother, Radio On offers a unique, compelling and even mythic vision of a late 1970s England, stalled between failed hopes of cultural and social change and the imminent upheavals of Thatcherism.
The Great White Silence (1924)
Dir.: Herbert G. Ponting
The official record of Captain Scott’s heroic, yet tragic attempt to be the first man to reach the South Pole, Herbert G. Ponting’s film follows Scott’s men as they set up tents and prepare to probe southward toward the Pole. The BFI National Archive – custodian of the expedition negatives – has restored the film using the latest photochemical and digital techniques and reintroduced the sophisticated use of color, bringing the alien beauty of the landscape dramatically to life. Originally a silent film, The Great White Silence was given a new musical soundtrack by Simon Fisher Turner.
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