Chinese and international filmmakers are now working closely to discuss ways of better-promoting arthouse films in the world's second-largest entertainment market.

They share the belief that arthouse films have significant potential and deserve a better future in China.

Katie Ellen is Senior Manager of Distribution and Commercial Strategy with the British Film Institute. She's currently in Beijing for an arthouse film promotion forum at the ongoing 8th Beijing International Film Festival.

"I've been to China every year for the last five years. And five years ago, we really didn't see much about arthouse film. No one is talking about it. And we don't see really an opportunity for how UK arthouse film might reach Chinese audiences. This year, everything is different. And I'm delighted to see this panel and to see everyone talking so enthusiastically about how arthouse film can be seen by Chinese audiences. Working with the National Film Archive and understanding about how their arthouse alliance taking film around China and fast audience here is incredibly exciting."

China's National Arthouse Film Alliance was launched in October 2016. The Beijing-based China Film Archive is leading the alliance, which has chosen 100 cinemas in 31 major cities across the country to screen arthouse films. And these cinemas have guaranteed they will screen art-house films at least three times per day and 10 times per week at peak times.

Online ticketing platform Taopiaopiao is a new member of this alliance.

Jerry Li Jie, President of Taopiaopiao, says social media will also help to reach potential audience members for these special films.

"Arthouse films, oftentimes, have a small but concentrated fan base. The best promotion around an arthouse film, in my opinion, is spreading its reputation through word of mouth. This way, new media and social media becomes the most effective platform for building its reputation. Since an arthouse film is usually a low-budget film, it doesn't necessarily cost a big sum of money in doing promotions."

Katie Ellen with the BFI is leading a 13-member delegation from the UK film industry to the film festival in Beijing. She says some delegates are talented producers who have made some of the best films in the UK.

She says they feel it is important to understand better how the Chinese film industry works, and they hope to work together in making arthouse films that speak to both the Chinese and UK audiences.

"We have also worked closely with them in bringing classic British films to Chinese audiences including Shakespeare and Hitchcock. And again, this is not something that we wouldn't imagine could have happened. So what we did are baby steps. We feel the arthouse film in China is developing and taking lessons from the rest of the world. But also now, we are understanding better how especially social media can be used and taken in arthouse films to wider audiences. That's something, I think, that China's taking a lead."

Thinking about the future for arthouse films, Lu Wei, Founder and CEO of Skyfilm, appears quite optimistic.

"Arthouse films could be connected with tourism. An arthouse film usually has deep involvement with local communities and local culture. It would be a lot better if we associate an arthouse film with local tourism. Today, the Ministry of Culture and the China National Tourism Administration have merged into the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. It gives us a good, new direction."

Statistics from a survey conducted by Taopiaopiao show that around 60 percent of arthouse film viewers are female. Also, 60 percent of these people are young adults aged between 20 and 29.

Seventy-percent of the audiences for arthouse films come from Beijing and Shanghai. Li Jie says this shows there is work to do to promote the genre.

"The bad news is that arthouse film remains unfamiliar to the citizens of the third and fourth-tier cities. This, on the other hand, indicates a big development potential in these cities. If citizens of these cities become willing to go to the cinema for an arthouse film, the box office is really something worth our anticipation."

He also says Taopiaopiao is about to invest 300-million yuan into the production and promotion of 20 arthouse films over the next three years.

Li Jie and other filmmakers in China hope their concerted efforts will help change the imbalance in China's booming film market and give arthouse films a better future.