China Turns out in Force at Sunny Side of the Doc

Top Chinese broadcasters are attending one of the world’s most important documentary markets to sell their latest history and wildlife wares.

Yves Jeanneau, president of Sunny Side of the Doc (left) and Jing Shuiqing, vice president of China Intercontinental Communication Center, sign a cooperation agreement at Sunny Side of the Doc’s China Night event.

Chinese broadcasters are making their imprint on this week’s Sunny Side of the Doc, with one of the largest delegations at the annual event in La Rochelle, France.

In attendance are CCTV International, also known as CCTV-9, China’s documentary channel; China International Communication Center, a media company that operates under the State Council, China’s Cabinet, already has a longstanding relationship with National Geographic; Shanghai Media Group (SMG); Golden Eagle Documentary Channel, owned and operated by regional broadcasting powerhouse Hunan TV; and Beijing TV (BTV) Documentary Channel.

Also participating are two Shanghai-based virtual reality production companies, and the IDF West Lake Documentary Festival, which held its first event in Hangzhou in April.

Featured events have included China Night, which saw a cooperation agreement signed between Sunny Side and CICC; and a Feeling China session, which included a pitch for programs being developed by each broadcaster.

“It is so important for all of us and for Sunny sSde and that the Chinese broadcasters, producers, VR people, can be together under the same umbrella and can represent the Chinese documentary community,” Jeanneau said at the opening of the Feeling China presentation.

Sunny Side of the Doc runs through June 22.