Long gone are the days when Chinese film directors could shoot their films and win awards abroad without complications back home. But even with stricter regulations regarding the shooting and distribution of films in China, some have not stopped creating unique stories for the big screen. Joining Aladin Farré, Cao Liuying (co-founder of Midnight Blur Films), Karin Chien (film producer and distributor, dGenerate Films), and Jenny Wu (indie filmmaker and curator) share their insights into the current scene of low-budget films and art-house movies coming from China.
Middle Earth is made by China Compass Productions. If you have a China-themed cultural project, please get in touch!
With thanks to Brenden Gonsalves for graphic design and Sean Calvo for music support.
Recommendations:
An Elephant Sitting Still 大象席地而坐 (2017)
Blind Massage 推拿 (2014)
Outcry and Whisper 呐喊与低语 (2020)
Answers to the quiz:
According to China Daily, only 1.5% of screen time is given to indie films in their first screening week.
The China Independent Film Festival was shut down permanently in 2020 after 14 iterations.
The film director who goes by the surname Ceng (who used to be a farmer and a migrant worker) was arrested on the evening of his film premiere in 2016. He was not arrested for the content of the film, but because he was part of a gang fight in Chongqing in 2000 and had eluded the police for 16 years.
