More than 60 representatives from the Chinese Embassy in Tunisia, the Tunisian National Tourist Office, Tunisian Television, the Arab States Broadcasting Union, the Confucius Institute at Carthage University, and local media organizations attended the launch ceremony.

Mutual Efforts Strengthen China-Arab Cooperation

The "Beijing Outstanding Film and TV Series Overseas Screening Season in Middle East" has already been held in multiple countries including Saudi Arabia and Jordan as an important link in the audiovisual industry cooperation between China and Arab states, and continuously enhanced the brand of "Beijing Grand Audiovisual Night". Many audiences in the MENA region have gained a deeper understanding of Chinese culture through the outstanding films and TV series, and have seen the real lives of Chinese people through these works.

Zhang Su, Deputy Director of the Beijing Municipal Radio and Television Bureau, pointed out in his speech that launching the "Beijing Outstanding Film and TV Series Overseas Screening Season in Middle East" in Tunisia is an important embodiment of cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and Tunisia, and also an important milestone in the broadcasting cooperation between China and Arab states. He looked forward to taking this screening season as an opportunity to further deepen the cooperation with Arab countries in areas such as content, technology and talent cultivation, injecting more vitality into the China-Arab friendship and creating more opportunities for the broadcasting industry.

Zhang Su, Deputy Director of the Beijing Municipal Radio and Television Bureau, delivers a speech 

Shokri Ben Nosier, CEO of the Tunisian Television, expressed hope to further strengthen pragmatic cooperation with China in areas such as co-production, program exchange, technical cooperation, personnel training and capacity building, promoting the all-media development and cultural exchanges between both sides.

Shokri Ben Nosier, CEO of the Tunisian Television gave a presentation

Nabiha Ben Saleh, Director of Television at the Arab States Broadcasting Union, said that under the "Belt and Road" initiative, cooperation in the audiovisual field can further deepen the exchange and mutual learning between China and Arab states in media, culture and technology. She hoped both sides could take media cooperation as a link to build a China-Arab community and promote regional cultural and economic integrative development.

Nabiha Ben Salah, Director of Television at the Arab States Broadcasting Union made remarks

Film & TV + Cultural Tourism: One Drama Boosts One City

In recent years, outstanding Beijing film and TV series such as "Horror Stories of Tang Dynasty", "Road to the Sunshine ", "Go Ahead" and "The Unstoppable Deer Squad" have been well received by audiences in the MENA region. The modern romance drama "In Between", adapted from the lives of young people in Beijing's CBD area, has achieved simultaneous broadcasting with English subtitles in 185 countries and regions including Saudi Arabia and the UAE since its release. Arab audiences have left waves of enthusiastic comments, with many expressing their eagerness to see an Arabic-dubbed version.

At the themed salon held on-site, Jia Yao, Vice Chief Editor of Huace Group and General Planner of "Meet Yourself", Wang Jing, General Manager of iQIYI for the Middle East and Africa region, as well as two representatives from Tunisian film and television institutions, had a creative discussion on the theme of "One Drama Boosts One City: How Film and Television Help Cities Go Viral".

Salon Dialogue: "One Drama Boosts One City, How Film and TV Help Cities Go Viral?"

Meanwhile, at the launch ceremony, three upcoming drama series "Beyond The Clouds", "Moonlight Mystique", and "The Fearless" were highlighted, attracting widespread attention from the audience. Several guests actively inquired about the release dates and viewing channels for these dramas, and the delegation enthusiastically responded and answered each question. The lively on-site interaction fully demonstrated the high expectations and strong interest of the MENA region's audiences towards Chinese film and television works.

On-site Promotion of Beijing Film and TV Dramas

Through the drama "Meet Yourself", MENA audiences were able to appreciate the beautiful rural scenery of China's Yunnan province. Conversely, many Chinese audiences were attracted by the charming natural landscapes of Tunisia captured in films such as "Star Wars", "Raiders of the Lost Ark", and "The English Patient". Since Tunisia implemented a visa-free entry policy for Chinese citizens in 2024, it has become a new favorite destination in the Chinese tourism market.

Performance of the Theme Song of "Meet Yourself" with Traditional Tunisian Musical Instruments

The two-way convergence of film and television with cultural tourism continues to exemplify the positive value of the "Film and Television IP + City" model for cultural tourism. These dramas that are popular in the MENA region not only allow local audiences to understand China's current situation but also add many beautiful Chinese cities to their wish lists.

Next, the Beijing Municipal Radio and Television Bureau will engage in in-depth exchanges with local media regulatory bodies and leading film and television institutions to understand market demands and cultural characteristics. This will help Beijing's film and television enterprises better integrate into the international market and enhance the "Beijing Grand Audiovisual Night" brand. Through a "government providing the platform and enterprises performing", the business environment will be continuously optimized to promote international audiovisual cooperation and achieve a win-win situation for cultural exchange and economic cooperation.