Chinese independent film

Chinese independent film has gained more compliment from overseas film critics, as a rising driving force in world independent film scope. As Seio Nakajima commented,” The rise of independent film-making in China since the early 1990s has heightened academic and popular interest in locally made non-mainstream films” .
History
It is acknowledged that Chinese Independent Film has developed since the late 1990s, starting with independent documentary, then followed by Mama directed by Zhang Yuan and The Days directed by Wang Xiaoshuai. The sixth generation of Chinese directors, as the main driving force of Chinese Independent Film, attached more importance to discovering the reality of China society covered by mainstream ideology instead of history and collective consciousness. This is closely related to the historical background— Reform and opening up , to some degree.
However, some Chinese Independent Films with high aesthetic value still have fallen victim to the political conflicts between China and other nations or have faced harassment of government due to the sensitive content. The cancellation of 11th BIFF is a proof. But most of Chinese Independent Films are highly valued in International Film Festival. For example, Black Coal, Thin Ice. Blind Massage were both awarded in 64th Berlin International Film Festival.
According to Chinese Film Spaces, with people gaining more insight into the aesthetic value of this kind of film, the consumption of Chinese independent film is rising, which would help lead to the further production of independent film in China.
Features
Compared to the Western Independent Film, Chinese Independent Film, during the developing process, is in a more complex environment.“The case that we approach contemporary Chinese independent film is perceived as a troubling case not only for certain types of intended information contained but also for the critical questions raised.”
First, Chinese Independent Films are low-budget films. Most of them cost less than $100,000. Such as the The Orphan of Anyang directed by Wang Chao just cost 40,000.
Second, Chinese Independent Film has the aesthetic style and cultural significance. Main common themes of Chinese independent films for the human nature include: 1) the confrontation between human nature and social system; eg: little red flowers 2) the good and evil; 3) Redemption and completion of human nature; 4) a search for the true self. Chinese Independent Film as a way of cultural exchange. It does not only show the audience social reality and history neglected in China, but also outline the Chinese true profile internationally.
Third, the audiences. In mainland China, in the face of deep-rooted Film Censorship System, more than 80% of the independent films, since the content involved political sensitivities or the dark side of the society, can not be passed by the SARFT(China's State Administration of Radio, Film and Television), thus they can not reach majority of Chinese people. These films are usually shown in overseas theaters, or shown on the Internet. Thus, the audiences are less than the Commercial Film. Thus, politic is influenced, too. Nowadays, more people in China pay attention to Chinese Independent Film, and a wider influence of it is expected.
Conclusion
Chinese Independent Film, with non-profit primary purpose ,reflects on the artistic exploration and the reality and ethical care through filmmakers’ unique angle of narrative. Its unique charm is led to self-freedom ,exploration and creativity. Although it is widely accepted in international and professional field in recent years, its marketing achievements in Chinese are not very positive due to the long-term political restraint and self-limiting varieties of factors.
In the future, the current embarrassing situation of Chinese Independent Film supported within some of intellectuals is hard to be changed. What the independent film in China need most maybe “reassembling civil society in contemporary urban China.”<ref name="Re-imagining Civil Society in Contemporary Urban China: Actor-Network-Theory and Chinese Independent Film Consumption"/>

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