The China Pavilion is making its return to the 37th edition of Sunny Side of the Doc, held this week, from June 22 to 24, 2026, in the coastal city of La Rochelle, France. Marking its ninth consecutive year at the event, the pavilion continues to serve as a core international platform designed to bridge documentary industry resources between China and the global market, steer industry trends, and promote cross-border audiovisual cooperation.
This year’s pavilion brings together a diverse array of national and regional mainstream broadcasters, fully demonstrating the creative strength of the Chinese documentary industry. Key exhibitors include the China Intercontinental Communication Center, Guangdong Radio and Television, Jiangsu Broadcasting Corporation, Beijing Radio & Television Station, and Chengdu Radio & Television.
The China Pavilion is showcasing 30 exceptional films at the international documentary market, covering a wide range of themes that break the boundaries of traditional production to build diversified Chinese stories. The works delve into several core areas:
- Nature and Scientific Exploration: The slate includes Missions to the Moon, a feature documentary offering a first-time inside look at China’s lunar exploration program and the groundbreaking Chang’e-6 mission, which collected samples from the far side of the Moon.
- Ecological Conservation: The series Chinese White Dolphin, which took six years to film, provides a comprehensive record of the species within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. ARTE has already acquired the rights to the series and expects to broadcast it in French and German across multiple European countries in 2027. Other nature titles include Ash Dykes’ Yellow River Adventure, Diary of Biosphere, Wetlands, Our Land, and Mangrove.
- Culture and History: Projects such as Shining Treasures of China, The Potala Palace: Between Heaven and History, and The Unending Journey Roger T. Ames and Chinese Philosophy delve into the profound heritage of Chinese culture. Furthermore, Bridges and Currents: Beijing’s Other Pulse interprets the cultural and urban spirit of ancient and modern China, utilizing artificial intelligence for some scenes.
- Digital and AI-Driven Production: Keeping pace with global trends, the pavilion prominently features the pioneering AI experimental work Fly with the Swift. Chinese creators are looking to establish long-term cooperation with institutions that embrace AI technologies, like AIGC, while exploring the creative norms and ethical boundaries of documentary filmmaking to maintain authenticity.
To build efficient bridges for cooperation, the China Pavilion is hosting targeted thematic exchange events focused on top global industry resources.
The «China Hour» themed event is scheduled for the afternoon of June 23. Invited representatives from world-leading international audiovisual organizations will gather as the pavilion unveils new co-production projects, quality licensed works, and cross-border cooperation plans. This event aims to help international institutions gain an in-depth understanding of China’s documentary development trends and cooperation needs.
Additionally, to celebrate the 2026 China-Brazil Cultural Year, the China Pavilion and Sunny Side of the Doc are launching the innovative «Copro Connections: China-Brazil» event on June 23 at 11 am CET. Key decision-makers from Brazilian broadcasting platforms, top production companies, streaming operators, and investment institutions will engage in deep discussions with Chinese industry representatives. These talks will cover the entire industrial chain, aiming to build a long-term cooperative mechanism that includes program co-production, investment, FAST channel operation, and the joint construction of streaming platforms.
Through these initiatives and documentary images that combine international aesthetics with Chinese essence, the China Pavilion aims to build a bridge for mutual learning and deliver a multidimensional, vivid, and diverse Chinese story to audiences worldwide.
