In a special section designated for the OBOR connectivity countries, at the Shanghai Film Festival Fair, representatives of cinematographic organizations (Film Festivals, Film Commissions and Film Centers of individual countries) – among which, the Thessaloniki Film Festival - discussed the prospects for cinematographic collaborations with China. The exchange of film culture will greatly boost mutual understanding and cooperation among people along the Belt and Road, said Zhang Hongsen, deputy head of the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, at the signing ceremony on 17 June 2017.

In her speech, the director of the Thessaloniki Film Festival, Ms Elise Jalladeau referred to the international profile of the Festival, its multifaceted character (Film Festival, Documentary Festival, Agora Market), the organization of special educational programs and, in general, its outward-looking orientation and dynamism . She also stressed the broad cinematic recovery in Greece, despite the economic crisis, as well as the dynamism of young Greek filmmakers.

The event was attended by the Consul General of Greece in Shanghai Mr. Vassilis Xiros and the Head of the Press and Communication Office of the Greek Embassy in Beijing, Mr. Efthimios Athanasiadis, who stressed the importance that Greece attaches to the attraction of foreign film productions, especially in the context of the Greece-China Year of Cultural Exchanges and Cooperation of Cultural Industries. He also referred to the prospect of organizing an orientation trip to Greece for Chinese producers, coupled by an exchange forum on the possibilities offered by our country in this field, as well as the advancement by the Ministry of Digital Policy, Telecommunications and Information of a bill aiming at facilitating and supporting the production of foreign films in Greece.