HENGDIAN, China, June 17, 2025 — Hengdian World Studios, a subsidiary of Hengdian Group, and Shanghai-based Dalynn Studio, a Spanish film company, jointly hosted the International Short Drama & Cross-Cultural Film Cooperation Exchange in Hengdian last month. The event gathered filmmakers, producers, and industry professionals from around the globe to explore China’s film industry and delve into its growing short drama sector.
The exchange took place at Hengdian World Studios, one of the world’s largest film studios and service providers. Hengdian’s film sets have recently seen a significant increase in short drama production for both Chinese and international audiences.
“Hengdian is evolving from a traditional filming location into a global center for short drama production,” said Caroline Guo, General Manager of Hengdian World Studios’ International Business Division. The studio, a Hengdian Group subsidiary, anticipates producing over 3000 short dramas this year.
Dalynn Studio, a Shanghai-based partner of Hengdian World Studios, adapts Chinese short dramas for the Latin American market. Co-founder Mary Lynn stated, “the future is in short videos, and the micro-drama market offers vast opportunities.”
During the event, Dalynn Studio and Hengdian World Studios signed an agreement granting Dalynn access to Hengdian’s film sets and resources, while Dalynn will assist in distributing content to Spanish-speaking viewers. A “Latin Film Night” has also been proposed for the Hengdian Film Festival in October.
Lynn also mentioned that many people worldwide, including industry professionals, are unfamiliar with Hengdian. “This event aims to introduce Hengdian and China to everyone,” she said, “to discover more collaboration opportunities and bring high-quality Chinese film and television to global audiences.”
The event was also attended by film professionals from Spain, Uruguay, the United States, Switzerland, Germany, Australia, South Africa, Serbia, and Belarus. Many were visiting Hengdian for the first time and were eager to learn about China’s film industry.
Event attendees toured Hengdian’s virtual production facilities to explore available resources. Among them was Carlos Tinto, a Shanghai-based Venezuelan 3D director who has worked on commercials for brands like L’Oréal, Standard Chartered, Free Fire, and Disney. Tinto commented, “with its mature ecosystem and competitive costs, Hengdian is perfect for large-scale international productions.”
Hengdian World Studios’ broader strategy involves strengthening its filmmaking industrial chain by enhancing expertise in areas ranging from talent acquisition to content distribution. The studio aims to further globalize its short drama industry to better engage with international audiences. The Hengdian International Short Drama Alliance (HISDA) was established last November to increase short drama production for international viewers.
“Hengdian World Studios is significantly increasing its construction of authentic international film sets and aims to involve more foreign actors,” said Caroline Guo. “Hengdian hopes this will help it become a more attractive destination for high-quality content production for global audiences,” Guo added.
During the exchange, industry professionals discussed various forms of cross-cultural collaboration and storytelling. American actress Sarie J Bott discovered that a long-time online contact of hers was already a member of HISDA. “Film is a powerful medium for cross-cultural dialogue,” said Bott, a first-time visitor to Hengdian. “Stepping onto these stages means truly becoming part of China’s film ecosystem.”
Dalynn Studio’s co-founder Mary Lynn expressed pride in her company’s initial project with Hengdian World Studios, which aspires to be a hub where creators from diverse cultures can meet, learn, and co-create.
“This is just the beginning,” Lynn said. “We will achieve significant results and co-production projects very soon.”
CONTACT: Contact information: press@hengdian.com
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