China has reaffirmed its commitment to deepening cultural and cinematic cooperation with Nigeria as the award-winning Chinese documentary “Rooting” was screened on Tuesday at the Zuma International Film Festival in Abuja.
Yang Jianxing, Cultural Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy and Director of the China Cultural Centre, made this known during a masterclass and screening led by the film’s director, Ms Chai Hongfang, and editor, Ms Zhou Hongxia, who are in Nigeria to participate in the event.
Yang noted that both China and Nigeria are globally recognised film powerhouses. Nollywood, he said, produces about 2,500 films annually, ranking as the world’s second-largest film industry. Meanwhile, China’s film industry continues to grow, boasting over 90,000 cinema screens and a $6 billion box office in 2024.
He described the screening and accompanying masterclass as a dialogue between civilisations and a testament to friendship between China and Nigeria.
“The Zuma Film Festival is not only a stage for Nigerian filmmakers, but also an important window for exchange and mutual learning between different civilisations.
“With 2026 designated as the China–Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, we look forward to deeper cooperation between China and Nigeria in the film industry, enhancing friendship and promoting mutually beneficial development,” he said.
The documentary Rooting, produced over four years, chronicles the lives of the Nu people in a village in Yunnan Province, capturing their journey out of poverty through China’s targeted infrastructure and poverty-alleviation programs.
Yang described the film as “a condensed visual chronicle of China’s poverty alleviation efforts,” noting that it has earned numerous awards at international film festivals.
He added that the film’s themes echo the aspirations of the Nigerian people for national development and improved livelihoods.
Also speaking, Wang Wenfei, Chief Executive Officer of China Harbour Engineering Company (Nigeria) said film has the unique ability to transcend national boundaries.
Wang also reflected on China Harbour’s longstanding presence in Nigeria, noting that the company has actively contributed to Nigeria’s infrastructural progress through projects such as the Lekki Deep Seaport and the Keffi–Makurdi–Enugu road expansion projects.
In his remarks, Ali Nuhu, Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) said the partnership between Nigeria and China in the creative sector is not just emerging but is already active and expanding.
He noted that the festival offers Nigerian filmmakers insights into new creative methods and storytelling techniques, particularly through the masterclass delivered by the Chinese film delegation.
Organised by the Nigerian Firm Cooperation, the 2025 Zuma Film Festival will also feature a Chinese documentary, SHENZHOU 13, produced aboard China’s space station.
The festival provides a platform where filmmakers from Nigeria and across the globe come together to network, collaborate and get to understand each other’s craft better.
