International curiosity about China and its intricate culture has prompted world renowned media and entertainment company, Discovery Communications, to announce on Wednesday night that they will continue their efforts to tap China's cultural well. They will begin by premiering six short documentaries made by emerging Chinese film-makers.

The First Time Film-makers' initiative is an ongoing commercial operation model by Discovery channel to encourage and support the development of non-fiction film-makers around the world. This year's theme, China: Past Forward, features short films that address the impact of modernization and technological advancement on Chinese culture and traditions.

The originality of the six Chinese stories, the enthusiasm and skills of the Chinese directors, as well as their unique visions and perspectives, prompted Discovery to continue its efforts in looking for hidden documentary stories produced by Chinese film-makers next year.

Dawnl. Mccall, CEO of Discovery International Network, said:"There's a lack of exposure. Certain country has its strong history of documentary film-making. Others are just beginning to understand the importance of documentary film-making, documenting their culture, their heritage. It varies from country to country. China has a lot of untold stories. The audience are waiting to see in the next few years. "

Of course, as a leading global real-world media, Discovery provides a platform for Chinese documentary producers to showcase their work. The media giant's experience and expertise may help these unknown film-makers produce world-class documentaries. But the rich story content in China and the untapped potential of Chinese film-makers are un-negligible factors attracting global viewers.

Liu Chang, documentary producer, said:"In China, story sources are so abundant that as long as you're devoted, you can produce wonderful work. In western countries, story sources are over-tapped, so western producers don't have much room to move."

According to a senior international documentary producer, many foreign viewers were astounded by the Chinese works. They feel that further professional development will lead to a bright future for film-makers showing the world a China never seen before.

(CCTV.com September 6, 2003)