Chinese film series goes beyond usual stereotype

When most of us think of Chinese film, a stunning image of
flying martial artists and bold colors comes instantly to mind. And
with the overpowering recent successes of Yimou Zhang’s
“Hero” and “House of Flying Daggers,” there
is hardly any evidence to suggest otherwise.

But contemporary Chinese cinema is more than just airborne
swords and high kicks. As an integral player in the future of
Chinese film, the UCLA Film and Television Archive presents the
Contemporary Mainland Chinese Film Series, running through May 7.
Creators Cheng-Sim Lim, co-head of public programming for the
Archive, and Bérénice Reynaud, faculty at CalArts, hope
to present varying aspects of Chinese cinema to the L.A.
audience.

“Like the larger mainland Chinese economy, mainland
Chinese cinema is undergoing rapid diversification at many levels,
including financing, production and aesthetics,” Lim said.
“From that perspective, it is one of the most energetic and
exciting national cinemas in the world today.”

According to Reynaud, the series’ wide variety of
filmmakers and subject matter appeals to an extremely diverse but
not necessarily large or mainstream audience. Subjects range from
women’s issues, documentary exploration of historical events
and homosexuality.

“The main thing is connect the films to the audience that
is ready for them,” she said.

But while the Archive may have successfully brought contemporary
Chinese cinema to America, there are inherent conflicts between the
American and Chinese film industries.

On the Chinese front, the Chinese government limits the number
of foreign film imports to a mere 20 per year, only some of which
are American. Meanwhile, according to the American Embassy, film
piracy accounts for as much as 95 percent of all films sold in
China, up from 91 percent in 2002. And market access barriers have
hampered legal distribution of many films.

Thus, American films make very little profit in the Chinese
market, and the United States in return has little motivation to
present Chinese cinema to American audiences. Even exceptions,
films such as “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” were
joint American-Chinese ventures from the very beginning.

In the meantime, according to Reynaud, less than .5 percent of
American box office revenue comes from foreign films. And in that
small percentage, Chinese cinema lacks prestige in comparison to
European cinema. For example, in Movieline Magazine’s list of
“100 Greatest Foreign Films,” China is not once
represented.

On a positive note, contemporary Chinese cinema is only
beginning to prosper. As the government lifts restrictions banning
many filmmakers, new technology and growing mainstream and
independent markets have allowed Chinese cinema to flourish. This
freedom has allowed more diversified production and creation of
cinema that is very different from mainstream American cinema.

“There will be people sick and tired of seeing Hollywood
movies who will come see these movies,” Reynaud said.

While Chinese films have been fairly successful in contemporary
international film festivals, most recently with Wong
Kar-wai’s “2046,” Chinese dramatic cinema and
documentary is still only building its prestige.

Including two shorts (the earliest made in 1997) and 11 features
(the earliest from 2002), the Archive’s Chinese film series
features several U.S., West Coast and L.A. premieres, with multiple
screenings on April 27, May 1 and May 7.

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