SANYA /China/, December 5. /TASS/. The seventh Hainan Island International Film Festival (HIIFF) hosted a symposium on creating TV programs and implementing film projects about the ocean. The event aimed to encourage practical cooperation in multiple fields.

The symposium which brought together around 300 participants was organized by the marine culture and tourism department of the China Association of Ocean Engineering (CAOE). Chen Jiyang, Executive Vice Minister of the Propaganda Department of the Provincial Party Committee and Secretary-General of the HIIFF Organizing Committee, said that Chinese leader Xi Jinping pays close attention to the promotion of ocean projects as he views them as a strategic driver behind intensive development.

"Hainan has a vast sea area, rich ocean resources and a unique marine cultural heritage,” Chen emphasized. “Marine culture <…> has deep roots in Hainan. The film festival that we are holding right now is not just an arts event, it also serves as a major platform for promoting culture and industry integration," he added.

The symposium covered a variety of topics, including the production of films in picturesque coastal areas such as the Xisha Islands also known as the Paracel Islands, a disputed archipelago claimed by both China and Vietnam. An expert gave a presentation of seascapes, and rich flora and fauna of the archipelago. He also presented facts to support the idea of launching the production of films there.

In addition, the potential of Wuzhizhou, a small island and a popular diving site near Sanya, was presented at the event. Another participant focused on the unique culture and lifestyle of fishermen working in the South China Sea.

Putting the idea into practice

A ceremony was also held for the signing of a memorandum between CAOE and MAGICUBEYE FILM to make a film about the ocean, titled “Haitan Jiuyuandui” (Beach Rescuers). The symposium concluded with a roundtable discussion involving Chinese film directors.

Organized by China Media Group and the Hainan Provincial Government, these major annual film screenings from around the world are one of China's most important film festivals. The inaugural festival took place in December 2018. Notable participants have included actors and directors such as Jackie Chan, Nicolas Cage, Johnny Depp, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, and Sophie Marceau. This year’s festival runs from December 3-9. Fourteen feature films, 10 short films and six documentaries from approximately 20 countries and regions (the festival received a record-breaking 4,564 film submissions from 119 countries and regions this year) will compete for the Golden Coconut Award. All of the films were released in 2025.