Elena Sunbeam, Director of the World Content Market – Moscow, visited the Shanghai TV Festival in June 2025 as a guest speaker at two events: the SMG International Audio-Visual Content Cooperation Forum and the STVF Forum.
At the SMG Content Cooperation Forum held on June 24, she spoke about the 10-year partnership between SMG / Wings Media and the World Content Market – Moscow. Together, they have successfully organized the China Pavilion, offering Chinese sales companies a strong platform to connect with Russian buyers. This year, the China Pavilion at the market was the largest ever, bringing an impressive delegation of Chinese companies to Moscow. Over 150 TV channels, 40 OTT platforms, and 250 content distributors from Russia met Chinese companies in the China Pavilion to buy content across genres.
Later the same day, at the STVF Forum session titled “Local Stories, Global Impact – Strategies for International Distribution,” Elena delivered a presentation on the Russian television industry and the growing popularity of Chinese content on Russian TV channels and OTT platforms. She outlined how Chinese content — including drama, films, animation, and documentaries — is increasingly well received by Russian viewers thanks to high production values, universal themes, and strong storytelling.
Elena’s presentation highlighted that Russian TV channels are eager to acquire Chinese content. This year, the National Media Group purchased over 130 Chinese titles for its 11 major channels. These include films, drama series, animation, and documentaries.
Chinese animation in particular is thriving in Russia. Carousel, the country’s leading kids’ channel and part of Channel One Worldwide, broadcasts popular titles such as “Go Go Bus,” “GG Bond,” “Super Wings,” “Boonie Bears,” and “Go Go Dino.” These shows come from leading Chinese studios including Wingsing Animation, Alpha Group, Fantawild Animation, and Guangzhou Lotta Animation.
Chinese documentaries are also gaining traction. Kultura TV, Russia’s state-run cultural broadcaster, has acquired high-quality titles such as “Blue World” (CCTV), “History of China” (China Movie Channel), “The Grand Canal” (JSBC and National Geographic), and “Ningde: A City of Happiness.”
Russian audiences are now seeing Chinese films in cinemas as well. Local distributor SB Film partnered with Beijing Filmtag to bring Andy Lau-starring titles like “I Did it My Way,” “High Forces,” and “The Trading Floor” to Russian theaters. The action film “Born to Fly” also performed well in cinemas and is now available on TV and streaming.
OTT platforms are growing rapidly in Russia. Currently, 51% of city dwellers subscribe to OTT services. All major Russian OTT platforms now have Chinese movies, series, animation, documentaries, and formats in their catalogues. OTT platforms prioritize content that has proven successful in China and internationally and value universal stories that require minimal localization. Genres such as action, historical epics, and fantasy lead the way in Chinese drama, while animation rooted in mythology and friendship appeals to younger viewers. Chinese documentaries add rich cultural depth.
The official China–Russia Years of Culture in 2024 and 2025 are further fueling demand. Elena emphasized that this climate has led to more rights deals, co-productions, and joint ventures. A standout example of this growing cooperation is the launch of “Magnolia Time,” a Chinese TV channel broadcasting in Moscow — a joint venture between SMG Wings Media and Russian partners.
During her visit to Shanghai, Elena also participated in networking events and held meetings with Chinese companies interested in entering the Russian market. The World Content Market – Moscow continues to be a key entry point for these collaborations.
The day concluded with the SMG evening party aboard a boat on the Huangpu River. This elegant gathering brought together Chinese and international guests from the television and digital content industry. It provided a relaxed and inspiring setting for continued networking, where Elena discussed new ideas and future cooperation with Chinese partners while enjoying Shanghai’s stunning skyline.
