The news was quickly denied by Luan Guozhi, vice-director of the State Film Bureau, saying he had never heard of a new importer and distributor of foreign films.

The rumors popped up again when on April 11 the Hollywood Reporter quoted an anonymous source saying that China will import 10 more foreign films, specifically art-house movies.

Dodd denies it.

"I am a very persuasive person, but haven't been that persuasive," he says. "I bring up the quota issue in every meeting. My hope is ultimately the quota will go. I would love it if it becomes 44, but I have no information about that. No one suggested that number to me at all. That has not happened yet."

There are many other ways to promote communication between the two film industries, he adds, such as the Filmmaker Workshop the MPA has been developing across the world.

This year's Beijing International Film Festival sees the fourth edition of the workshop in China, during which Hollywood industry insiders will give lectures to select emerging Chinese filmmakers. The young talents will then pitch their projects to a jury made up of established filmmakers at the end of the workshop and one of them will win a trip to visit Hollywood studios.

Xue Xiaolu, whose romantic comedy Finding Mr. Right was the seventh-highest-grossing film in China last year, was a former winner of the program. She was a jury member this year.

"I cannot think of anything more important for emerging filmmakers than to share ideas and thoughts in a global environment," says Dodd, "in this workshop they will find interaction, opportunities and knowledge."