Skip to content
1981
Volume 33, Issue 1
  • ISSN: 1059-440X
  • E-ISSN: 2049-6710

Abstract

With the decline of Chinese independent cinema, art cinema has grown at a fast pace since the mid-2010s in China. There has been a convergence as well as a divergence of independent cinema and art cinema facilitated by institutional reforms of the Chinese film industry. This article examines how small- to medium-sized film production companies work as market actors as well as intermediaries between independent filmmakers, the state and the market to co-opt independent cinema into an officially approved art cinema and activate the market potential of art cinema through engaging with the cultural economy. This officially approved art cinema is not construed as an alternative to, and a form of resistance to, the mainstream but as a booster for the industry. This article offers new insights into the interrelation of artistic, commercial and political interests and demonstrates how these interests shape meanings and modes of ‘independence’ and ‘art’ in contemporary global film industries.

Funding
This study was supported by the:
  • Arts and Humanities Research Council (Award AH/S001778/1)
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1386/ac_00044_1
2022-04-01
2024-09-07
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Andrews, David (2010), ‘Art cinema as institution, redux: Art houses, film festivals, and film studies’, Scope, 18, pp. 121.
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Anon. (2016), ‘China Co-Production Day: Festival de Cannes 2016 company meetings’, 13 May, https://www.bridgingthedragon.com/download/Company-Meetings_Chinese-profiles.pdf. Accessed 11 August 2021.
  3. Anon. (2019), ‘Producer forum: “Reply, Young Producers” – First international film festival’, https://www.firstfilm.org.cn/en/forum-en/producer-forum-reply-young-producers/. Accessed 21 June 2021.
  4. Bao, Angela (2018), ‘Declaration of independent films: China’s arthouse market, reach further’, East West Bank, 6 September, https://www.eastwestbank.com/ReachFurther/en/News/Article/Chinas-Arthouse-market-declaration-of-independent-films. Accessed 25 July 2021.
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Berry, Chris (2006), ‘Independently Chinese: Duan Jinchuan, Jiang Yue, and Chinese documentary’, in P. Pickowicz and Y. Zhang (eds), From Underground to Independent: Alternative Film Culture in Contemporary China, New York: Rowman & Littlefield, pp. 10922.
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Bi, Gan (毕赣) (2015), 路边野餐 (Kaili Blues), China: Blackfin and Heaven Pictures.
  7. Cao, Kai (2013), interview with L. Wu, Nanjing, 12 October.
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Cardullo, Bert (2011), ‘Art-house cinema, avant-garde film, and dramatic modernism’, Journal of Aesthetic Education, 45:2, pp. 116.
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Chan, Felicia (2011), ‘International film festival and the making of a national cinema’, Screen, 52:5, pp. 25360.
    [Google Scholar]
  10. China Law Translate (2016), ‘Film Promotion Law 2016’, 7 November, https://www.chinalawtranslate.com/en/film-industry-promotion-law-2016/. Accessed 12 July 2021.
  11. Chun, Guang (2019), ‘专访黑鳍创始人王子剑:即使浪潮退去了,黑鳍依旧会坚持下去’ (‘Interview with founder of Blackfin, Wang Zijina: Even if the wave recedes, Blackfin will still persevere’), 新片场 (New Film Set), 18 November, https://www.xinpianchang.com/e19732. Accessed 11 August 2021.
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Deloitte (2017), China’s Film Industry: A New Era, China: Deloitte.
    [Google Scholar]
  13. De Valck, Marijke (2007), Film Festivals: From European Geopolitics to Global Cinephilia, Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Fan, Victor (2019), ‘What is a “Chinese film market?”’, Screen, 60:2, pp. 30310.
    [Google Scholar]
  15. Geng, Jun (耿军) (2004), 烧烤 (Barbecure), China.
  16. Geng, Jun (耿军) (2008), 青年 (Youth), China.
  17. Geng, Jun (耿军) (2016), 轻松加愉快 (Free and Easy), China: Blackfin.
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Geng, Jun (2019), interview with L. Wu, Beijing, 13 August.
    [Google Scholar]
  19. Geng, Jun (耿军) (2021), 东北虎 (Manchurian Tiger), China: Blackfin.
  20. Gu, Xiaogang (顾晓刚) (2019), 春江水暖 (Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains), China: Factory Gate.
  21. Gu, Xue (顾雪) (2019), 家庭会议 (Choice), China.
  22. He, Yuan (2017), ‘黑鳍之光 —— 国内首家艺术电影制片公司‘黑鳍BLACKFIN’ 专访’(‘The light of Blackfin: Interview with Blackfin, the first art film company in China’), 电影作者 (Film Auteur), 14, pp. 10224.
    [Google Scholar]
  23. Hu, Bo (胡波) (2018), 大象席地而坐 (Elephant Sitting Still), China: Dongchun Films.
  24. Iordanova, Dina (2015), ‘The film festival as an industry node’, Media Industries Journal, 1:3, pp. 711.
    [Google Scholar]
  25. Jiang, Hongyu (蒋鸿宇) (2018), 安稳觉 (Have a Good Night), China: KH Pictures.
  26. Jie, Hao (郝杰) (2012), 美姐 (The Love Song of Tiedan), China: Heaven Pictures.
  27. Li, Xiaofeng (李霄峰) (2020), 风平浪静 (Back to the Wharf), China: Tianjin Turan Film, Xiamen Cat Shadow Culture Media Co., Fujian Pingtan Turan Film Co. and Shanghai Hanna Film & Culture Media Co.
    [Google Scholar]
  28. Liu, Jia and Du, Simeng (2018), Research Report on Chinese Film Industry, International Version, Beijing: China Film Association, Film Art Center of China Federation of Literacy and Art Circle.
    [Google Scholar]
  29. Liu, Yangang (刘延刚) (2020), 远山处,引擎声鸣 (Distant Mountains and Roaring Engines), China: Wuxu Film Productions.
    [Google Scholar]
  30. Ma, Cheng (2016), ‘聚焦青年导演,做独立电影,黑鳍要发掘第二个毕赣’ (‘Focusing on young filmmakers and making independent films, Blackfin is discovering the second Bi Gan’), 新浪 (Sina), 19 December, https://k.sina.cn/article_5806933453_15a1ec5cd019001pye.html. Accessed 26 April 2021.
    [Google Scholar]
  31. Neale, Steve (1981), ‘Art cinema as institution’, Screen, 22:1, pp. 1140.
    [Google Scholar]
  32. Oliver, Amalyam L. and Montgomery, Kathleen (2008), ‘Using field-configuring events for sense-making: A cognitive network approach’, Journal of Management Studies, 45:6, pp. 114767.
    [Google Scholar]
  33. Pickowicz, Paul and Zhang, Yingjin (2006), ‘Preface’, in P. Pickowicz and Y. Zhang (eds), From Underground to Independent: Alternative Film Culture in Contemporary China, New York: Rowman & Littlefield, pp. viixi.
    [Google Scholar]
  34. Qiu, Sheng (仇晟) (2018), 郊区的鸟 (Suburban Birds), China: Beijing Transcend Pictures Entertainment, Quasar Films, Cforce Pictures, Beijing Yoshow Films, Three Monkeys Films Shanghai, Beijing Chase Pictures and Kiframe Studio.
  35. Shao, Yihui (邵艺辉) (2021), 爱情神话 (B for Busy), China: Beijing Buying Legend Culture Company, Maite Films Co., Beijing Zhenyue Culture Communication Co. and Shanghai Film (Group) Co.
    [Google Scholar]
  36. Song, Jiayin (宋佳音) and Fei, Xiaochou (费小丑) (2016), ‘华策投资《路边野餐》导演新公司,文艺片如何成为一门好生意?’ (‘Huace invested in the new film company founded by the director of Kaili Blues: How does art cinema become a good business?’), 搜狐 (Sohu), 20 August, https://www.sohu.com/a/111314220_355073. Accessed 26 August 2021.
    [Google Scholar]
  37. Song, Toingting (2009), ‘A new definition for today’s Chinese independent cinema’, Ejournalist, 9:1, pp. 15770.
    [Google Scholar]
  38. Tseden, Pema (万玛才旦) (2015), 塔洛 (Tharlo), China: Heaven Pictures, Shaanxi Wentou Film & TV Yinhai Investment Co., New Heaven Pictures, Beijing Xingkongyihe Film & TV Development Co. and Beijing Ocean Time Culture Communication Co.
  39. Tseden, Pema (万玛才旦) (2019), 气球 (Balloon), China: Factory Gate, Beijing Shengtang Times Culture Communication Co., Qinghai Manihot Pictures and Beijing Jiuzhong Zhongyuan Digital Cinema Co.
  40. Tutte, Louise (2018), ‘Future leaders 2018: The producers who are rising star’, Screen Daily, 10 May, https://www.screendaily.com/features/future-leaders-2018-the-producers-who-are-rising-stars/5129115.article. Accessed 12 August 2021.
    [Google Scholar]
  41. Tweedie, James (2013), The Age of New Waves: Art Cinema and the Staging of Globalisation, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  42. Wang, Xiaolu (2020), ‘Orphan film’, Chinese Independent Film Archive, 20 November, https://www.chinaindiefilm.org/orphan-film/. Accessed 2 March 2021.
    [Google Scholar]
  43. Wang, Xuebo (王学博) (2016), 清水里的刀子 (Knife in the Clear Water), China: Blackfin.
  44. Wei, Xi (2016), ‘Kaili Blues reveals a new approach for art film’, Global Times, 24 July, https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/996154.shtml. Accessed 27 July 2021.
    [Google Scholar]
  45. Xiang, Zi (相梓) (2019), 再见,南屏晚钟 (A Dog Barking at the Moon), China: Acorn Studio.
    [Google Scholar]
  46. Xu, Ruotao (徐若涛) (2018), 表现主义(Expressionism), China.
  47. Xu, Tong (徐童) (2021), 他们是肉做的 (Flesh & Quantum World), China.
  48. Yang, Jin (杨谨) (2012), 有人赞美聪慧,有人则不 (Don’t Expect Praises), China: Heaven Pictures.
    [Google Scholar]
  49. Yang, Jin (2013), interview with L. Wu, Berlin, 8 February.
    [Google Scholar]
  50. Yang, Jin (杨谨) (2018), 片警宝音 (Patrolman), China: Haining Lanse Guxiang.
  51. Yang, Li (2018), The Formation of Chinese Art Cinema 1990–2003, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan.
    [Google Scholar]
  52. Yang, Lina (杨荔钠) (2019), 春潮 (Spring Tide), Shanghai: Aim Media.
  53. Yeh, Emilie Yueh-Yu and Davis, Darrell W. (2008), ‘Re-nationalizing China’s film industry: Case study on the China film group and film marketization’, Journal of Chinese Cinema, 2:1, pp. 3751.
    [Google Scholar]
  54. Zhai, Yixiang (翟义祥) (2019), 马赛克少女 (Mosaic Portrait), China: Blackfin.
  55. Zhang, Rebecca Xiaomeng (2017), ‘In light of China’s new film industry promotion law: For cross-border transactions between China and the U.S. in the film industry’, Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business, 38:1, pp. 16185.
    [Google Scholar]
  56. Zhang, Yingjin (2010), Cinema, Space, and Polylocality in a Globablizing China, Honolulu, HI: University of Hawai‘i Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  57. Zhu, Rikun (朱日坤) (2021), 海妖 (Nothing to Hide), China and USA.
  58. Zhu, Xin (祝新) (2018), 漫游 (Vanishing Days), China: Midnight Blur Films.
  59. Zhu, Ying (2003), Chinese Cinema during the Era of Reform: The Ingenuity of the System, London: Praeger.
    [Google Scholar]
  60. Wu, Lydia (2022), ‘From Chinese independent cinema to art cinema: Convergence and divergence’, Asian Cinema, 33:1, pp. 319, https://doi.org/10.1386/ac_00044_1
    [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1386/ac_00044_1
Loading
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a success
Invalid data
An error occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error