China relishes cooperation with African countries in advancing documentary film making

The government of the People’s Republic of China is relishing opportunities to explore cooperation avenues in the arts and entertainment industry in Africa, especially Ghana.

China, itself a developing country, looks at partnering developing countries especially Africa to boost the entertainment sector in those countries to better tell the story of developing countries across the globe.

Speaking at a training workshop for selected media and documentary filmmaking professionals from developing countries in Beijing-China, Professor Jin Haina, a Senior lecturer at the Communication University of China, indicated that developing countries could make great strides in the entertainment sector by exploring documentary filmmaking development.

She disclosed that China produces about 52 films yearly and rakes in an annual revenue of over one billion dollars from a single film, urging that it could also be the story of African countries should there be a cooperation and sharing of ideas.

Professor Haina added that with the availability of dubbing and sub-titling methods, African countries and China could exchange Television film series to bridge cultural differences and share a common goal of attaining domestic and international development through entertainment.

On his part, the Deputy Director for Film and TV Dubbing Services at the China Radio International (CRI), Mr. Meng Yi, emphasised that China would be in the position to cooperate with state and private media in African countries and to provide documentary film products for free broadcasting or in a cooperative way.

He contended that translation has been the most difficult part in efforts to localise documentary film contents for other countries since that has to do with translating meanings according to local cultural structures.

Mr Yi, however, assured that the CRI Radio and TV Translation Centre of China has in place assistance avenues that is ready to train potential translators from African countries to easily translate the Chinese series or documentary films into their respective local languages for easy understanding.

About 40 media and documentary filmmaking professionals from developing countries were selected by the Chinese Government to participate in the on-going three-week training at China’s Research and Training Institute for National Radio and TV Administration in Beijing.

Four of the number are Ghanaians, including Class Media Group’s Eastern Regional Correspondent, McAnthony Dagyenga, Tema Regional Correspondent for Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, Michael Dewornu, Central Regional Correspondent for Peace FM, Jane Sally Ngissa and Atinka Media Village’s Isaac Nuamah Yeboah.