How Xixi Pictures Is Tapping Into Tales of Contemporary China
Yang Xiaopei came to Cannes this year hoping to alter what she sees as a commonly held perception about what Chinese content creators can offer the global market.
Much has already been made about China’s epics, its tales of high romance and action set in ancient worlds amongst stunning costumes. While the country’s creators are sure to still play to those strengths going forward, Yang is part of a growing generation of studio heads who want to also share stories of contemporary China with the world.
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“The diversification and caliber of Chinese series are flourishing,” says Yang, the founder and CEO of the Shanghai-based Xixi Pictures. “Outside of historical dramas, contemporary urban series have surged in popularity in China thanks to their relevance and thematic richness.”
China’s role as the “Country of Honor” at the 39th edition of MIPCOM Cannes has turned the spotlight on how the industry there is evolving in terms of both domestic and international output. With more than 300 delegates from around 40 companies in town, the Chinese presence has returned to levels seen pre-pandemic and the mantra being pushed in Cannes — as it has been at the world’s major trade gatherings this year — is that the country is once again “open for business.”
China placed its growing ambitions as a global content provider front and center at this year’s MIPCOM with an emphasis on co-production, content acquisition and distribution opportunities that companies such as Xixi Pictures hope will attract a new generation of international partners.
Yang has been among the speakers at a series of seminars held as part of the China promotion, joining actor/creator Hu Ge (A Green Trip) and Juan Wang, vp and chief editor of Tencent Online Video, for a discussion titled, “China: Where Stories Evolve,” where she shared the story of Xixi’s growth and its plans for future expansion across global markets.
Yang founded Xixi Pictures in 2020 after an early career that saw her move from the vast Shanghai Media Group conglomerate into China’s ever-expanding television drama market.
As an executive producer, she was behind the costume dramas Chronicle of Life and Fighter of the Destiny — both of which found huge domestic audiences as well as reached into Southeast Asian markets. Yang then expanded her focus to encompass what she labels “contemporary realism,” with series like The King’s Avatar, which sets itself around the world of eSports and online gaming.
Since founding Xixi Pictures, Yang has produced costume dramas such as Ancient Love Poetry and Who Rules the World, along with a further expansion of the concept of contemporary realism with The Youth Memories, a coming-of-age drama set in the 1970s, and Alliance, which looks at the lives of a group of women in modern-day Shanghai.
Who Rules the World was picked up by Netflix after a successful run on Chinese streamer Tencent’s global platform WeTV, while the plan for Alliance is for streaming on the digital and new media distributor Jetsen Huashi Wangju’s Youtube platform, as well via deals signed with the likes of Viki (United States), ITalkBB and KT (South Korea), Astro (Malaysia) and PPCT (Cambodia).
Yang presented two new Xixi productions during her time in Cannes: another costume drama in The Last Immortal and another female-oriented drama with Her Islands. Both are slated for Q4 2023 and Q1 2024 releases, respectively.
The sequel to Ancient Love Poetry, The Last Immortal continues to tread ground that might be familiar to international audiences — in terms of its mood and visuals, at least — as it’s set in a world of gods battling demons and follows its central characters’ journey as they “transform into their best selves,” according to a Xixi synopsis.
“This series represents a fresh approach, fusing elements of the historical fantasy genre with the structure of road movies, aiming to offer viewers an innovative viewing experience,” Yang says.
Her Islands, meanwhile, looks into issues affecting contemporary China, and the ever-evolving relationship between a mother whose marriage is on the rocks and the daughters who are trying, in their own different ways, to help her cope with the situation, while also trying to make their own way in the world. Inspired by classical Chinese poetry, the series “employs the metaphor of ‘oceans and islands’ to reflect the relationships of modern women with their families and society.”
“The structure and dynamics within Chinese families are evolving, as are the ways emotions are expressed,” Xixi says in a statement. “However, the underlying desire for a beautiful and happy life remains unchanged. Through Her Islands, we hope to offer viewers from around the world a glimpse into the shifting dynamics and enduring values of Chinese families,” the company adds.
For Yang and Xixi Pictures, the hope is that what works domestically will increasingly work globally, and there will be growing curiosity — and connection — with contemporary tales that might be set in China but have universal themes.
“Xixi Pictures is renowned for its diverse TV series, from romantic historical dramas to contemporary urban tales, all of which have been widely acclaimed in China,” Yang says.
She adds: “While we have a strong foothold in the Chinese market, our vision extends beyond our borders. My ambition for Xixi Pictures is to pioneer a path where our content, which embodies our ethnic characteristics and core culture, can also resonate globally. We aim for Chinese stories to be illuminated and appreciated on a worldwide platform.”
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