Chongqing - The "Land Meets Sea: Mutual Learning and International Cultural Exchange" Activity was launched on November 25, bringing together 15 global organizations, including film companies from Europe, the Americas, ASEAN, and Africa, and Chinese and Chongqing reporters and influencers.

The international delegation toured Chongqing's key industries, from filmmaking and autonomous driving to cultural heritage. Bridging News interviewed several guests to gather their impressions of the city's vibrant sectors.

During a tour of the Yongchuan Technology Studio and Western China Autonomous Driving Open Test Base, Paul Christmas, head of global sports at CATON, expressed his excitement about the transformative potential of autonomous driving. He eagerly anticipated experiencing an autonomous vehicle ride later in the day to see the technology in action on real roads.

He also emphasized the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in advancing autonomous driving. "AI with autonomous driving is showing the levels we can reach with AI technology and how quickly it needs to think to address real-world situations," Christmas noted. 

Foreign guests experienced advanced filmmaking technologies at Yongchuan Technology Studio. (Photo/Zheng Ran)

Luc Bendza, Chief Representative of the African Film Association in Asia China, was particularly impressed by the extended reality (XR) studio in Yongchuan District, which is transforming filmmaking and television production. 

"I'm so surprised to see this big shooting studio. I think it gives all of us a good opportunity regarding the production of movies and TV series," Bendza remarked, emphasizing the growing significance of advanced production technologies in the industry.

The Yongchuan Technology Studio, which opened in May 2023, features three 3,000-square-meter virtual filming studios and one 1,000-square-meter motion capture studio. It has already hosted over 40 domestic and international film projects.

Welldy Handoko, a documentary filmmaker with Rekamindonesia.id, highlighted the importance of preserving the Dazu Rock Carvings, stating that documenting this cultural heritage can help people worldwide gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of it.

 (Huan Ran, as an intern, also contributed to the report)