China is making a splash at the 36th edition of Sunny Side of the Doc with an expanded pavilion featuring high-profile international co-productions and two marquee events designed to strengthen global partnerships in the documentary space.
The showcase centers around two events on June 24: China Hour in the Grand Auditorium, where participating organizations will present partnership proposals and announce cooperation plans, followed by China Night at the Maritime Museum of La Rochelle, bringing together international TV broadcasters, distributors, and production agencies.
The pavilion highlights five co-productions that demonstrate China’s growing international collaboration in premium documentary content. “Geographical Discovery: Exploring the Hanzhong Sinkhole Cluster” pairs CCTV9 with France’s Bellota Films for a 52-minute exploration of China’s newly discovered sinkhole formations. Shot in 4K and 8K, the project is being hailed as “the geographical discovery of the 21st century” by international cave researchers.
“Life at the Yellow River Delta, Season 2” represents a significant partnership between China Intercontinental Communication Center, National Geographic Channel, Shandong Television, and IFA Media. The 2×44-minute series explores wildlife adaptation across four seasons and is scheduled to premiere on National Geographic Channel in the second half of 2025.
“Wing Chun: The Heritage of the World” breaks new ground as China’s first themed animated documentary, featuring collaboration between China Real Image Media, One & All Culture Dev., and France’s Realworks. The project traces the martial art’s global spread to over 80 countries.
“Wetlands, Our Land” follows migratory bird routes from East Asia to Australasia, with production spanning Russia, Singapore, and New Zealand. The Jiangsu Broadcasting Corporation co-production was awarded “Outstanding Domestic Documentary of 2024” by China’s National Radio and Television Administration.
“Diary of Biosphere Reserves” features Serbian anthropologist Dr. Marta Neskovic, who served as a Youth Delegate at COP28, presenting stories from UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in a 2×45-minute format.
The pitch lineup includes six additional projects: “Voy Boys,” “Deep in My Brain,” “The Moon Is Yours,” “Letter to Yangtze River,” “Seed on the Border,” and “Diary of Biosphere Reserves.”
Featured programming showcases titles including “Creatures’ Wonderland,” “Walking with the Spoon-billed Sandpiper,” “Food Markets around the World,” “The Way of Tea: A Journey to Harmony,” and “Photo Albums from a Century Ago.”
The China Night event will unveil additional co-production announcements, including “The Great Yellow River Delta II,” “Restless Farewell,” and the global promotion event “Friendly Shandong, Hometown of Confucius.”
The China Pavilion, organized by China Intercontinental Communication Center, brings together major players including China Media Group (CMG), China Intercontinental Communication Center, Shandong Radio and Television Bureau, Jiangsu Broadcasting Corporation, Shandong Radio and Television Station, Chengdu Radio and Television Station, Shandong film distribution and projection Group Co., Ltd., Lanshan District Media Convergence Center, Rizhao City, the Documentary Production Center of Shanghai Media Group, Real Image Media, and FreshPitch.
This marks the eighth consecutive year for the China Pavilion at Sunny Side of the Doc.
