Govt-sponsored documentary website launched

BEIJING - An official website devoted to the Chinese documentary industry (docuchina.cntv.cn) was launched on Tuesday.

Jointly set up by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) and the China Network Television, the site will cover policy releases, industrial trends, expert advice for documentary makers, project financing, academic research and other functions.

According to a statement released on Tuesday by the SARFT, the website will showcase outstanding domestic as well as foreign documentary works.

Figures from the China Radio, Film & Television Programs Exchanging Center show that documentary films accounted for 17 percent of the center's total revenue from overseas sales in 2012, up by 40.6 percent year on year.

One high-profile doc was "A Bite of China", a seven-episode series reflecting Chinese values and lifestyles by documenting the country's various cuisines.

According to the center, the series was sold to 27 countries and regions, raking in $350,000 in the first round of overseas sales - a record among Chinese documentaries.

"China-made documentaries are embracing a prosperous era," said Li Wei, SARFT deputy director, adding that he expects the website to serve as an important platform to boost development of Chinese documentaries.