Shanghai hosts Venice Film Festival's Asia-Pacific unit

The first Asia-Pacific art unit of the Venice Film Festival started selection on Sunday in east China's Shanghai.

The global launching ceremony of the Asia-Pacific unit of the Venice International Film Festival Venice Days in Shanghai, April 12, 2017. [Photo: joy.online.sh.cn]

The films shot from August 1, 2016 to August 15 this year in more than 30 countries and regions in the Asia-Pacific could compete in the event, said Jiang Bo, president of the Shanghai Film Art Academy, which hosts the Asia-Pacific Art Unit.

The Asia-Pacific art unit has more than 10 awards.

The unit will be a platform for the exchange of China-European film cultures, transaction of film products and fostering of young film talent in the Asia-Pacific region, said Jiang.

In September last year, the academy signed a five-year cooperation agreement with the Venice Film Festival to host its Asia-Pacific Art Unit.

Over the past decade or so, China has seen a surge in box office revenue from a mere 1 billion yuan (around 147 million U.S. dollars) in 2003 to 45.7 billion yuan in 2016.