The China International New Media Short Film Festival (CSFF), founded in 2010, is the country’s only nationally recognized international short film festival and is held annually in Shenzhen. Organized by Shenzhen Media Group, the city also hosts the China (Shenzhen) International TV Drama Trading Fair, which began in 2014. Last year, the two events merged, adding a conference to discuss industry policies, trends, and directions.
At this year’s opening ceremony, the National Radio and Television Administration announced the launch of the “Ju Hao Kan” (“Good Dramas”) Big Screen On-Demand Alliance. Using blockchain technology, the alliance aims to ensure high-quality content—including web series and short to medium-length dramas—can reach mainstream platforms nationwide, while providing creators with access to broadcast data and transparent revenue-sharing records.
Industry leaders, including iQiyi CEO Gong Yu, discussed the role of AI in film and drama production. The conference will also release reports on the short drama industry, its growth prospects, and a white paper on the overseas expansion of Chinese short dramas. Major broadcasters and platforms, including China’s State TV, Mango TV, Hunan Satellite TV, iQiyi, Youku, Tencent, and Hongguo Short Drama, are unveiling their 2026 production plans.
Top production companies, such as Daylight Entertainment, Huace Film & TV, and Linmon Media, along with shooting bases like Hengdian World Studios, are showcasing trailers for upcoming projects. Over 30 firms, supported by companies like Crazy Maple Studio and Jiuzhou Culture, are participating. The exhibition spans 3,000 square meters with booths from nearly 200 companies, including tech giants Google, Sony, and Amazon, and will host more than 150 buyers and representatives from over 80 investment firms.
Special sections highlight contributions from Hong Kong and Macao companies, and nine seminars focus on integrating the film and drama industry within the Greater Bay Area. The AIGC and Digital Technology Zone, covering more than 1,000 square meters, features cutting-edge imaging solutions from Volcengine, Tencent Cloud, Alibaba Cloud, and AI-powered motion capture system Seedance.
This year, CSFF received over 500 short film submissions from creators across all APEC economies. The KingBonn Director Supporting Program selected 15 winners from 4,306 submissions. New awards include the Annual Premium Short Drama and the APEC Economies Premium Short Films and Drama award.
Shenzhen, known for productions like the short series Miracle and the Boonie Bears films, remains a leading hub for film and drama. DataEye founder Wang Xiangbin reported that from January to October 2025, overseas in-app purchase revenue for short dramas exceeded US$1.847 billion, with Shenzhen enterprises contributing more than half of China’s exports.
