China to reform its movie industry

China has unveiled a five-year plan to consolidate many of its mainland film studios, reducing them from 40 to 6, the South China Morning Post reported Friday. Currently the mainland film industry produces about 100 movies a year, with revenue of about $115 million — or an average of only $1.15 million per film in a country with a population of 1.2 billion. The government’s plan also calls for reforms in film distribution. Hu Zhanfan, deputy general director of the State Administration of Radio, Film & Television was quoted as telling a Hong Kong seminar: “We have actually already carried out reforms in film distribution, releasing and marketing, with the aim of exploring the chain theatre system. We are breaking down regional barriers and unreasonable market monopolies, and are establishing a framework of multiple distribution channels.”