Shanghai eyes culture, innovation clusters

Shanghai aims to boost its culture and innovation by attracting and supporting firms in the Internet film, animation, game and e-sports sectors.

One of the first such industrial clusters has been developed along Jinshajiang Road in Putuo District. Over 130 leading film and television companies have established bases there to tap into the rapid development of China's film sector, including Alibaba Pictures, Tao Piaopiao, Union Pictures and Suning Universal Media.

These industry leaders have produced top-grossing movies and television series such as "Operation Red Sea" and "Detective Chinatown II," said Wang Chunming, director of the district's culture and tourism bureau.

To further drive the development of the film industry in the city, industry leaders, scholars and government officials are to put a plan of action together next week.

The Internet Summit of the 2019 Shanghai International Film&TV Festival, hosted by the Putuo government, will be held on June 11-12. The summit will showcase a number of outstanding, popular and new Internet films, Wang said.

The Jinshajiang Road film industry cluster on the north bank of the Suzhou Creek is mainly based on existing innovation parks such as the Universal Software Park and the industrial park of East China Normal University.

The district government and the park operators will help reduce costs for film companies and support their development, said Song Zheng, the software park's general manager.

Putuo also plans to develop e-sports along the creek.

The IMBA E-sports center, the city's first facility of its kind in a shopping complex, has opened for both top-level competitions and amateur players at the Global Harbor Mall, the biggest downtown shopping mall.