BuskinFilm, the Rome-based sales outfit, has opened an office in Beijing with the aimof co-producing projects and getting involved in product placement andservicing for international productions shooting in China.

Buskinis already co-producing a project for China's CCTV with Beijing Xin Ying ShiCulture. The 20-part drama is the third instalment of a popular mini-seriesabout an Italian mother who moves to Beijing, marries a Chinese man, and bringsover her son from Italy.

Thethird series, called L'Armonia Ritorna In Sicilia (literally, Harmonyreturns to Sicily) will shoot from August 2005 in China and in Sicily. Like thetwo previous series - 2001's Modern Family and 2003's My ChineseDaddy - the drama will star Italian Chinese-speaking child actor JacopoCirino.

Theproject marks the debut of Beijing Film Service, the company recently formed byBeijing Xin Ying Shi, Buskin and Italy's Sicily-based travel companyItaly-China Service.

Buskinpresident Roberto Bessi says that through Beijing Xin Ying Shi's associationwith state organisation China Film Group, Beijing Film Service will be able to"facilitate international productions who want to shoot a film inChina."

"Wewill also be involved in product placement, because we have signed a deal andhave the authorisation to insert Italian and European products in this TVseries that will be broadcast to audiences across China," Bessi told ScreenInternational. Bessi said the previous two series had an audience of 300million each.

"Itis very important for the Italian and the European industries to be able toenter the Chinese market, and this is the first time the Chinese film industryhas opened its state organisation to them," Bessi said.

Topics