Suzhou Ori Animation Co., Ltd. and Thailand's THE MONK STUDIOS CO., LTD conducted a successful online signing ceremony for a collaborative production agreement on December 24, 2021. The event was witnessed by Ms Chang Yumeng, Cultural Counselor of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Thailand, and Mr Nop Dharmavanich, Chairman of the Thai Animation and Computer Graphics Association (TACGA). The signed Sino-Thai co-production project is a 90-minute CGI animation film, scheduled to be officially launched on January 1, 2022, completed by the end of 2024, and released globally in 2025. The project will integrate Chinese national culture and Thai island culture, narrating a story of guarding, responsibility and growth. Mr Qian Feng, Chairman of Ori Animation, emphasized that this collaboration with Thai MONK STUDIOS signifies Ori Animation's successful cultural outreach in Southeast Asia, aligning with the Belt and Road cultural development plan. Ori hopes that this cooperation can infuse both Chinese and Thai culture into the film, fostering global awareness and friendship between the two countries. Mr Juck Somsaman, the founder of MONK STUDIOS, said that they have always attached importance to the cooperation with Chinese cultural enterprises. This agreement with Ori is also a huge step for MONK. It is hoped that this cooperation can invite mutual appreciation of Chinese and Thai cultures. MONK looks forward to broader collaboration with Ori in the future, making more contributions to Sino-Thai cultural exchanges. Chairman Nop highlighted the historical bonds and interlinked cultures between China and Thailand and anticipated that the joint production project would serve as a model for further cooperation between animation companies of both nations, fostering world-class animation creations through cooperation in creativity, technology, art and other aspects. Counselor Chang Yumeng lauded the agreement’s significance, noting its role in deepening Belt and Road cooperation and cultural exchange between China and Thailand. The co-production not only showcases joint cultural strengths in creating high-quality products but also encourages mutual understanding and friendship. Established in 2006, Ori Animation is a national animation enterprise, and a national key enterprise of culture exporting. It has been committed to cultural exporting since 2013 and has been at the forefront of foreign cultural trade in China. It has achieved remarkable achievements in cooperation with countries along the Belt and Road. Hakim & Kong Xiaoxi II was selected for the Belt and Road Cultural trade and investment key project of the Ministry of Culture. The Sino-Singapore co-produced animation Duo Duo was selected as the Key International Cooperation Project of the Cultural & Tourism Industry in the Belt and Road Initiative and the Asian film and television exchange and cooperation plan of the National Radio and Television Administration. The animation Hakim & Kong Xiaoxi co-produced by China and Saudi Arabia won the Jiangsu Provincial Spiritual Civilization award. Thailand THE MONK STUDIOS CO., LTD was established in 2006 and is headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand. It is a top high-end animation and visual company with extensive in-depth cooperation with internationally renowned film and television companies such as DreamWorks Animation, Industrial Light & Magic, and Lucasfilm. It is the top CGI production company in Thailand and Southeast Asia. The co-production project embodies the rich heritage of Chinese and Thai cultures, showing the artistic charm of the two cultures, fostering closer cultural ties, good-neighbourly relations, and cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative. This project also promotes China-Thailand’s comprehensive cooperative strategic partnership.

The 3rd China-CEEC（Central and Eastern European Countries）Art Cooperation Forum, organized collaboratively by Serbia's Ministry of Culture and Information and China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism, commenced via video link on November 25.  Themed “We Are in the Future”, the two-day forum featured four sub-forums, including Visual Arts, Film Art, Animation and Video Game Art, facilitating discussions among experts and artists from 17 countries on promoting cultural exchange. During the opening ceremony, speeches were delivered by Mr Gojković, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture and Information of Serbia, and Mr Hu Heping, Minister of Culture and Tourism of China. Mr Gojković highlighted that during the COVID-19 epidemic, countries are more aware of the importance of mutual support and cooperation. Serbia will continue to actively participate in China-CEEC cooperation and support cultural advancement. Mr Hu Heping emphasized that the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China is willing to work with CEEC to adhere to extensive consultation and joint construction. He encouraged balanced, open, innovative, and pragmatic exchanges, aiming to foster stable and progressive relations. China is also willing to deepen exchanges and cooperation with CEEC in other fields, making new and greater contributions to promoting the progress of human civilization and building a community with a shared future for mankind. During the Film Art sub-forum, Ori Group’s Ms Lu Weiyao, General Manager of the International Business Department, and Ms Wang, Choreo Director of the Creative Business Department, engaged in discussions. Ms Lu presented Ori Group’s international collaborations and interactions with film institutions in Central and Eastern Europe. She also conducted online exchanges and discussions with guests from the Serbia Film Center, University of Montenegro, North Macedonia FX3X Group, Film Bureau of the Republic of North Macedonia and other guests. In terms of content creation, Ori Group remains committed to international cooperation, echoing its principle of “Telling Chinese stories that the world can understand and Delivering global tales that will inspire China” while fostering mutual respect and cooperation. The Forum provides an avenue for expanding collaborations with CEEC film institutions, furthering mutual growth in the Central and Eastern European cultural landscape.

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism recently unveiled the 2021 Key International Cooperation Projects of the Cultural & Tourism Industry in the Belt and Road Initiative. A total of 18 projects from 12 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) were selected this time, and Ori’s project “Creation and Overseas Promotion of the Cartoon Duo Duo” secured a spot. Duo Duo was signed by Ori Animation and Singapore Tiny Island Animation in 2019 and obtained a Sino-foreign co-production license in April 2020. The two sides jointly invest and co-produce for in-depth cooperation. The film is currently in production, centred around a pet store, presenting a children’s perspective on a fairy tale through a “play within a play” format. This project also gained recognition under the “2019-2020 Asian Film and Television Exchange and Cooperation Program (TV Co-production) Project”. Ori strategically partners with countries along Belt and Road. The selection of Duo Duo is an affirmation of its value and a great recognition of Ori’s commitment to promoting the cooperation and development of countries along the Belt and Road. With established networks across various Belt and Road countries such as Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, and Russia, Ori will continue to adhere to the overseas cooperation strategy, aligning with the national Belt and Road Initiative and continuing to contribute to its success.

At the sound of the tolling midnight bell, a brand new year begins. It’s the very beginning of 2020. The year 2019 has been a mixed platter for most of us, with whether amazing or sad movements. We wish a great new year to all our friends all over the world. Let's raise our hopes, to the promise it ushers in. May the new year bring you happiness and success. Take a quick look on this year’s ORI GROUP, along the number of the Chinese box office 2019 is $9.23 billion USD with almost 70,000 screens in total. The industry will chronicle a Group of unprecedented staying power of development and expanding forces of creation. For the last year’s major plans part, ORI has enacted many plans on international cooperation including vigorously develop the international co-production, strengthening worldwide sales, and realizing the international network sharing. Based on the current global situation, ORI has launched into production model 3.0 era. For this upcoming new year, everybody and every project seems so vibrant and the progresses will be phenomenal. The Group plans to expand our business and cooperation to the next level as well as producing more accredited projects, ORI might find possibility and invest in other fields. More importantly, The 70th Berlin International Film Festival is coming, we will be the best of ourselves during the whole Festival. Certainly, ORI will make the best entrance in this year’s EFM and seek a cooperative style with more creative and effective partners. The year just begins, we will steadily head to the mutually beneficial relations with friends from across the world. Again, happy new year!

The 40th AFM (The American Film Market) was held from November 6th to 13th in Santa Monica, California. ORI team back to its office at Suite #502 Loews again. Produced by the Independent Film & Television Alliance, The American Film Market is the most efficient film acquisition, development and networking event in the world. Unlike a festival, AFM is a marketplace where production and distribution deals are closed. More than US$1 billion in deals are sealed every year — on both completed films and those in every stage of development and production. Though claimed that industry professionals from more than 70 countries converge here during the market, this AFM was not that thriving compared with previous years. Participants felt ‘a burst of cold’ and the slack global economy was accused to be one of the culprits. Being affected, the total number of participants in this year’s AFM decreased by 30%, among which the number of registered enterprises and individuals from Europe and China were cut down by about half. In this ‘cold current’, ORI still progressed to its mission and exhibited at AFM with its new animated feature films HOCKEY KING and ONE DAY and the nearly finished film - RETURN. ORI’s office became one of the most flourishing offices during the whole market. In just eight days, ORI had talks with 80+ enterprises around the world, gained 10+ cooperation intentions and closed dozens of sales contracts.