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Canopy cracks into Chinese market

Aaron Wilson’s debut feature Canopy has been picked up by Chinese video platform iQIYI, giving the film access to over 390 million Chinese subscribers.

The film, which follows the plight of an Australian WWII pilot stranded in an enemy-riddled Singapore forest, will be available on the platform for two weeks with a decision to continue if it proves successful.

It’s already off to a promising start with over 14,000 views in its first few days online.

“We are just thrilled,” says producer Katrina Fleming. “It’s only been online for three or four days and already over 14,000 people have watched our film. Plus, we get paid for every click.

“It’s really hard to crack into the Chinese market in any way, shape or form so we’re very excited.”

The Beijing based site is owned by search company Baidu Inc. and was created to cater for the mainland’s 618 million internet users seeking movies and television shows online .The sale to iQIYI was facilitated by sales agent Odin’s Eye Entertainment.

Canopy also continues on its successful film festivals route, officially competing in The Shanghai International Film Festival and having recently been selected to appear in competition at The Taipei Film Festival in the International New Talent Competition. It is also competing in the Debuts Competition at the Jerusalem Film Festival.

Enthuses Fleming: “It just shows art-house films will find festival audiences if they are good quality and distinctively different from other art-house pictures.”