StarTimes Nigeria in a collaboration with the Chinese Embassy has launched the 2024 Chinese Film Festival in Abuja, which held May 25 to 31.
Targeted at promoting diversity and harmony, in addition to opening a window for Nigerians to know more about China and the people, the festival featured a selection of the highest grossing Chinese films of 2024, including YOLO (You Only Live Once), Speedy Life 2, and Jue Ji.
CEO of StarTimes Mr Joshua Wang, expressing his enthusiasm for the event highlighted the role of festival in fostering cultural exchange.
“The festival is a celebration of the deep-rooted friendship between China and Nigeria. It’s a testament to our shared love for storytelling and our appreciation for diverse cultures.
“We have introduced numerous Chinese movies, dramas and series to the Nigerian audience. We have also dubbed Chinese content into Hausa and Yoruba for better understanding. Remember, you can watch festival films on your StarTimes mobile app on-the-go,” said Wang.
Speaking at the event, Chinese Cultural Center Nigeria (CCCN) director and Chinese Cultural Counsellor, Mr Li Xuda, said Nollywood is important to China.
Xuda said while Nollywood is the second largest film industry in the world by way of quantity of film produced per year, it is yet to gain entrance to the Chinese film market which is the second largest global film market.
“After decades of rapid development, the global film industry has become a critical part of the creative cultural industry. This film festival is to open a window for Nigerian people to know more about real China and her people, create an important platform to enhance the cultural exchange and cooperation in the film industry between two countries, and build a bridge of friendship to deepen the good relations between us.”