DUANJU  NEWS

In 2016, in Prague, when TikTok didn't yet exist and vertical was still seen as a framing error, Krystof Safer created Vertifilms, a festival entirely dedicated to films shot in 9:16. Interview with Krystof Safer, founder of the Vertifilms festival, conducted by Wenwen Han. For him, a vertical film is first and foremost a work conceived for a smartphone held vertically, without abandoning the conventions of classic cinema. The films selected for Vertifilms are shot with a real crew, with editing and color grading work, and full credits. The only difference lies in the framing, not in the artistic ambition. Very quickly, the festival began receiving works from all over the world: music videos, documentaries, and short films shot in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Some directors playfully subverted the format's constraints, playing with the height of bodies, architecture, or multi-layered compositions. Vertifilms also invented screening venues adapted to the 9:16 aspect ratio, such as a narrow, very tall church in Prague transformed into a vertical theater, to demonstrate that the format could exist beyond the flow of social media. For Krystof Safer, this experience proves that a vertical film can be presented like any other film: in a theater, in front of an audience, in a context of meetings and debates, with the same seriousness as a traditional film festival. Connecting Europe to the wave of Asian micro-dramas Over the years, his intuition has been confirmed by what's happening in Asia, where short dramas are exploding in popularity and transforming the phone into a veritable pocket television. Chinese, Korean, and Japanese platforms are structuring a microdrama market, with dedicated budgets, formats, and business models. What Vertifilms was experimenting with on the auteur side is becoming a full-fledged industry there. In an interview with Wenwen Han, Krystof Safer observes that many Western creators enjoy shooting vertically for social media, but now want to tell longer stories with characters, narrative arcs, and seasons. Vertifilms served as a laboratory for these aspirations, offering visibility to projects that go beyond simple "disposable video." The European challenge remains: a continent fragmented by languages, viewing habits, and national markets, where subtitles are sometimes unreadable on small screens. Krystof Safer, however, is optimistic. According to him, AI-assisted translation and dubbing tools will facilitate the distribution of Asian series to Western audiences, provided the stories are compelling. Having championed vertical content long before TikTok, Krystof Safer now wants to position himself as a link between Western creators and the Asian micro-drama ecosystem, capitalizing on the experience accumulated with Vertifilms. Interview conducted by Wenwen Han. Discover her YouTube  channel. #WenwenHan

In an interview with journalist Wenwen Han, Scott Brown reflects on his transition from the world of YouTube to vertical video, a field he now considers one of the most stimulating in the American digital landscape. For years, he worked with some of the most influential creators, closely observing the evolution of user habits. Now, he sees short dramas as a profound shift in the way we relate to storytelling on mobile devices. For Scott Brown explains that American audiences are no longer just looking for personalities, but for stories structured for mobile. He summarizes this shift as follows: "Viewers want fiction, not just content. Vertical is becoming where these stories find their natural rhythm." This approach led him to develop The Diamond Rose , his first series conceived exclusively for the phone screen, with a clear objective: to test what vertical can produce when designed with a studio methodology. Even before filming began, Scott Brown wrote several complete series to understand what works in this fast-paced format. According to him, the effectiveness of vertical dramas relies on anticipation and pacing. "The format forces you to be precise. You have to know exactly why every second exists," he explains. This intensive writing phase allows him to refine his projects before production, in an American market where the monetization of short dramas is still developing. Brown also observes that traditional players in film and television are beginning to take an interest in vertical storytelling, not as a passing trend, but as a new narrative space. For him, what happens next will depend on creators' ability to structure their work, test their ideas, and adapt their series to audience reactions. Interview conducted by Wenwen Han. Discover her YouTube  channel. #WenwenHan

With twenty years of experience in Turkish audiovisual media, Selen Bazmanoglu explains that she has launched and developed film, TV, youth, and lifestyle channels on the country's largest platforms, then under in-house brands, and has advised companies such as beIN, Turk Telekom, and Turksat. She is currently continuing this career path in vertical drama as Head of Content for two short-form content apps, Short & More and WOMOD. Her presentation highlighted a clear industry benchmark. She described China as a global creative leader and confirmed that its teams actively license Chinese short dramas, believing that these short stories resonate well with international audiences. This reference is part of a structured launch strategy: WOMOD targets international markets while Short & More focuses on Turkey, with the same commitment to high-quality short stories and a combination of original content and international acquisitions. Her vision, however, remains primarily Turkish. She emphasizes the strength of Turkish storytelling traditions and indicates that this is one of the reasons why Short & More relies on the production of original content. She sees great potential in exploring romance, romantic comedies, suspense, and young adult stories in vertical format. Finally, she highlights the challenges faced by a local player in its launch phase: high competition, audience education, and anti-piracy protection. Interview conducted by Wenwen Han #WenwenHan

Duanju videos have become a phenomenon that Chinese television can no longer ignore. Their explosion on mobile devices has given rise to a new generation of players, followed by millions of viewers, to the point that they are now invited onto mainstream entertainment programs. This visibility marks a key milestone: duanju videos are no longer a peripheral format. The show "Kai Bo! Duanju Season" was the first to place micro-fiction at the heart of a real television set. Conceived as a hybrid of competition, variety show, and mini-series, it featured duanju actors who reenacted clips, improvised, participated in challenges, and reacted live to filmed scenes. The program transformed the format into a fast-paced, collective performance designed for a family audience. This transposition of duanju to entertainment television revealed its power to appeal to a wide audience. The behind-the-scenes aspects of the show also play a role in the creation of these new stars. Widely broadcast and discussed backstage footage shows the actors preparing, rehearsing, or interacting with the crew. This contributes to their transformation into full-fledged media figures: not just performers of characters, but followed and recognizable personalities. This increased exposure reinforces the status of duanju as a breeding ground for talent. The show reached 62 million households and garnered nearly 100 million online views, figures usually reserved for major entertainment programs in China. It also features 26 performances inspired by popular films and series, a strategic choice that appeals not only to duanju enthusiasts but also to a wider audience already familiar with these works. By drawing on well-known references, the show creates an immediate sense of recognition and expands its audience beyond the typical viewers of micro-fiction. Source : • China Daily , January 20, 2025.

Note : This app is not to be confused with the French platform of the same name, which is run by the independent studio StudioQuinze. This is an Indian micro-drama app owned by the Eloelo group. Currently, there are no financial or editorial ties between these two platforms, which operate in different countries and ecosystems. In India, where epic television sagas have long been a staple of family evenings, a change in format is underway. Balaji Telefilms, known for its long-running series, is moving towards a new way of telling stories: one-minute micro-dramas designed specifically for the vertical screen of smartphones. This evolution involves producing content for Story TV, an Indian app for micro-fiction consumed in continuous scrolling, using an extremely condensed narrative style. When the traditional soap opera adapts Balaji Telefilms is exploring territory radically different from its usual formats. The family dramas, the studio's trademark, must now be contained within a one-minute timeframe and maintain the viewer's attention in a flow reminiscent of live-action reels. For the creative teams, the challenge is to rethink the directing, condense emotions, and introduce narrative twists. Story TV, which already boasts over ten million users, provides an environment entirely designed for these native vertical formats. Its catalog is growing rapidly, with hundreds of micro-dramas targeting a young, mobile-first audience less inclined towards long-form episodes. Balaji Telefilms sees this as an opportunity to experiment with new production models capable of reaching a generation that consumes stories in fragments. A market in formation This movement is part of a broader trend: the emergence of an Indian micro-drama market estimated to be worth several billion dollars in the coming years. The rise of mobile usage, combined with the growing demand for short formats, is pushing local players to structure a new industrial chain dedicated to this vertical market. Story TV is following this trajectory with an ambitious growth strategy: reaching one hundred million users, producing more than 800 micro-dramas per year and developing a monetization model inspired by social networks. For Balaji Telefilms, the challenge is to find a new avenue for growth outside of traditional television, while leveraging its expertise in soap operas. If the Indian duanju market does indeed develop as predicted, the shift towards vertical content could become a strategic pillar for major established studios. Discover the app: Google Play / App Store Sources: • The Economic Times , October 6, 2025 • Business Standard , October 6, 2025 • Vitrina.ai , October 2025 • Afaqs , November 4, 2025

A first vertical projection of Duanju in France. On November 23, 2024, the Studio Phocéen association organized the very first vertical projection in France at the Gouttes Cave Tattoo bistro in Montmartre, inspired by the Duanju format. This short and dynamic format, designed for phones, was presented to the Parisian public through several original mini-series, offering more French proposals for this type of content. The evening, hosted by Maëlle Billant , brought together around 70 spectators in a warm atmosphere. Fictions written and produced by Guillaume Sanjorge , directed by Jérémy Haeffele and Camille Bertin , were unveiled, followed by a discussion between the public and the artistic teams. The presence of renowned actors and actresses helped to give credibility to the event. Among them was Jean-Louis Barcelona , whose prolific filmography includes notable appearances in OSS 117 , Radiostars , Les Profs and Asterix and Obelix . Magali Semetys, who rose to fame in Les Mystères de l'Amour , and Sylvain Binetti , who was appreciated for his French song concerts at the Petit Café de Montmartre , were also present. The cast also included Svetlana Sfera, a Ukrainian model now active in fiction, as well as actresses Chloé Borivage, Aria Laurens, Ana Capella, and Guillaume Sanjorge . They shared their filming experiences and interacted freely with the audience. The evening began with a talk by Jean-François Fonlupt, producer of internationally iconic films ( The Piano , Underground ) and former director of Ciby 2000, famous for winning four Palmes d'Or in the 1990s. A figure in both international and popular auteur cinema, he represented the transition from the big screen to short formats that evening. A highlight for the launch of the Duanju format in France Sources: • Montmartre Addict , November 14, 2024 • Hello Asso - Studio Phocéen , November 23, 2024 • Facebook - Studio Phocéen , November 24, 2024 • Linkedin - Studio Phocéen , February 24, 2025

Atresmedia, one of Spain's largest media groups, is venturing into microdramas with *Una novia por Navidad*, a series created specifically for Flooxer in a vertical format. Atresmedia owns several popular national channels and a streaming platform, Atresplayer, which plays a key role in modernizing Spanish television drama. With this project, the group joins the global trend of short-form mobile storytelling, already well-established in Asia and Latin America. The series is developed in collaboration with La Charito Films and directed by Laura Reviejo and Marta Ambel Meyer. It is intended for Flooxer, a branch of Atresplayer focused on short formats and innovative content. This channel primarily targets a young audience and distinguishes itself through its experimentation with new formats. Una novia por Navidad adopts the conventions of the microdrama, with episodes ranging from 1 to 3 minutes, a plot focused on a small number of characters, and a total of 60 episodes, in line with international standards for the genre. This approach allows for quick viewing, adapted to mobile devices and social media platforms. A story rooted in the Christmas season The story follows Sofia, who is going through a breakup just before the holidays. She becomes close to Marina, with whom she immediately clicks. Things get complicated when Sofia discovers that Marina is in a relationship with her brother. The program uses the conventions of romantic storytelling while adapting them to the speed and expectations of a mobile audience. Sources: • Atresplayer Premium , November 29, 2025 • Atresmedia Prensa , November 19, 2025 • TodoTVNews , November 20, 2025 • Hola , November 27, 2025

We previously demonstrated in an article that comics originated in a short, serialized format: first in Le Journal de Mickey (1934), then in Pilote (launched in 1959), where the adventures of Asterix, Lucky Luke, or Tanguy and Laverdure appeared weekly. This serial rhythm shaped a genuine culture of anticipation and suspense, a direct ancestor of the duanju model and its digital variations. A parallel with webtoons was also explored in another article . Today, the story seems to come full circle: ByteDance, parent company of TikTok and Douyin, has just launched in China a free application dedicated to illustrated Duanju, a hybrid format between webtoon and short series. Named "漫剧岛" ( Manju Dao , literally "Draw Drama Island"), the platform combines vertical reading with the logic of ultra-short episodes, designed for quick viewing on smartphones. Each page incorporates motion, sound, and voice-over effects, blurring the line between animated comics and serial fiction. For ByteDance, already a leader in duanju with Douyin, this initiative aims to extend short storytelling to all visual formats. In China, the goal is clear: to win over a generation accustomed to Korean webtoons but now seeking more immersive narratives. For creators, the benefit is strategic: producing a "duanju webtoon manga" is much cheaper than a filmed mini-series while perfectly fitting the model of quick reading, interaction, and sharing. This format could eventually have an international impact. This connection between comics and mobile fiction has also been explored in France with King Gandolfi, a Duanju-format series featuring actors from the Asterix and Obelix films. Source : • WeChat 漫剧岛发布 , November 2, 2025

On October 14, 2025, at the end of the 7 p.m. news on France Inter, the major French public radio station, the journalists humorously concluded: "We will resist, we will fight with our little arms." A seemingly innocuous phrase, but revealing a certain French reflex in the face of cultural revolutions. We laugh to keep at a distance what is disturbing: a new, fast, popular, and strangely effective format. This ironic tone is not just a radio joke. It is part of a broader context: that of a French film industry in crisis of its model. According to Le Figaro, 90% of films produced in France are not profitable. Despite abundant production and considerable public support, most works do not recoup their costs. And as Les Échos points out, the Court of Auditors is now questioning the number of films supported by the CNC: between 2011 and 2022, France produced an average of 270 feature films per year, far more than its European neighbors, even though a large proportion of them struggle to find an audience. In 2019, nearly a third of French-initiated films attracted fewer than 20,000 spectators. In other words, the industry is already resisting another form of reality: that of a subsidized system where supply exceeds demand and profitability collapses. In this context, duanju is not a threat, but a parallel experiment, a model where lightness of production, responsiveness, and public attention breathe new life into creation. We can smile at a one-minute format, financed differently, consumed elsewhere, and designed for a generation inventing other narrative rhythms. But we can also see it as a laboratory: that of a modern narrative adapted to the speed and fragmentation of attention. To resist this is perhaps to perpetuate a misunderstanding: to believe that defending cinema consists of ignoring new forms rather than understanding them. To resist a moment is perhaps to resist the times. Or to refuse to admit that creativity can, sometimes, fit in the palm of one's hand. Article written by Guillaume Sanjorge #GuillaumeSanjorge #Duanjuphobia Source : • France Inter , October 14, 2025 • Le Figaro , January 8, 2014 • Les Échos , October 17, 2023

When a major mainstream outlet turns its attention to the duanju phenomenon, it’s often to treat it as a curiosity. But the Figaro  article of October 12, 2025, signed by Salomé Hembert, deserves a closer look as much for what it reveals as for what it leaves out. In 2024, actor Thierry Lhermitte joked that a scathing piece in Le Monde  or Libération  usually meant box-office success was near. Reading Le Figaro ’s article, it’s hard not to think of that old rule. The text checks all the boxes of a classic skeptical take on a popular trend. On the French side, reducing the nascent Story TV platform to a few unfavorable figures doesn't tell the whole story. The data chosen is partial and, above all, doesn't take into account the multiplatform reality where attention is at stake today. Every month, French accounts that publish vertical fiction unleash waves of views (in the millions), shares, and comments. What the paper also omits is that this format allows creatives to regain control of the social media algorithm by prioritizing staging, actors, and writing, rather than allowing videos without direction, without performers, and without narrative to flourish. The article also fails to mention that screenings have brought together professionals in France, and that international meetings are multiplying around these formats. Screenwriters, producers, and broadcasters are testing, debating, and iterating. This network of initiatives already constitutes a signal. Another missing angle: narrative grammar. Right from the title, the article compares duanju to the soap opera “The Bold and the Beautiful” “on steroids,” immediately framing the subject as a televised soap opera rather than a native mobile format. Judging the format by the yardstick of a classic TV soap opera is like accusing haiku of not being a sonnet. The article also overlooks the true richness of the format. Looking closer, one finds subtle creations sometimes historical, fantastical, social, or comedic. The duanju is not just a caricature of fast fiction. On the public policy front, one significant detail is missing. In July, during a trip to Asia, Gaëtan Bruel, the newly appointed president of France’s CNC (Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée) mentioned the format . Since then, silence. Rather than encouraging demanding content for young audiences, the debate has focused primarily on the general dangers of screens. We can want to protect and, at the same time, stimulate the creation of relevant, structured, and visible stories. A useful reminder about the economics of cinema. If everyone, including demanding audiences, can still get a seat at the cinema at a reasonable price, it's because popular films fill the majority of theaters and drive the economy of the entire industry. Their millions of admissions cushion risks, fuel financing mechanisms, and allow more fragile works to exist. The audiovisual sector remains an industry. Without these mass successes, the price of an auteur film would climb, and many projects would never see the light of day. In other words, popular films finance cinema films. Rather than pitting these worlds against each other, let's recognize this industrial and cultural solidarity. And now? We can debate duanju versus TV or cinema, or look at what viewers are already choosing. And why not, dear colleague of Le Figaro, come and take a closer look at what you haven't told us. Article written by Guillaume Sanjorge #GuillaumeSanjorge #Duanjuphobia Source • Le Figaro , October 12, 2025 • MSN , October 12, 2025