China’s State Council has promoted Zhang Pimin, deputy director of the country’s Film Bureau, to the same role for the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT). He replaces Lei Yuanliang who is retiring.

Industry insiders believe that Zhang’s promotion will see film issues receive greater prominence at SARFT. The minister oversees the country’s broadcast and film affairs and policies. There are currently five deputy directors under direct Wang Taihua. Zhao Shi, another deputy at the ministry, also has a film studio background.

Zhang worked for the Film Bureau, which is under SARFT’s remit, for eight years and was previously responsible for imports and the state film funds management committee.  Before entering SARFT in 2001, Zhang was director of state-owned Xi’an Film Studio.

During Zhang’s tenure at Xi’an Film Studio from 1992 to 2001, the studio promoted film-makers such as He Ping, with Red Firecrackers, Green Firecrackers (1994) and Zhang Yang’s Spicy Love Soup (1997) and Shower (1999).

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