SANYA, December 6./TASS/. Hainan's free trade zone development and promotion gives new opportunities to Chinese film industry and international cooperation, said Benoit Ginisty, Director General of the International Federation of Film Producers’ Associations (FIAPF) on the sidelines of the Hainan Film Festival. 

"The fact that Hainan's free trade zone and port are being promoted significantly lowered a number of financial risks [in the region], which encourages cooperation between producers, film directors, advertising professionals [Chinese and international]", he said at the Film Industry Development and Integration Forum on the sidelines of teh Hainan Film Festival. "We believe that the cooperation has already been productive", added Ginisty. 

According to the expert, "China has had a long history of filmmaking". "We know that there are top opportunities for film promotion, good market, big screens. That is why the implementation of tax benefits [as part of the free trade zone pilot program] is a very important step for supporting China's film inustry", added the expert. 

He also stated that the Western and the Chinese film industry professionals' interests in creating products, attracting audience and other things align. In his view, Hainan International Film Festival provides a perfect opportunity to hash over details during the film festival in Sanya. 

For the first time, the Hainan Island International Film Festival was held in December in 2018. It was attended by such world-famous actors and directors as Jackie Chan, Aamir Khan, Nicolas Cage, Johnny Depp, Nuri Bilge Ceylan. The film festival is held with the support of the Hainan administration with the approval of the propaganda department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.