CHINA: A MISSING PIECE OF CINEMA HISTORY

Everyone from Hollywood to Bollywood is looking to get into the booming but heavily censored China cinema market.  Seven new cinema screens open in China each day. It is the second largest film market and is expected to overtake the U.S. in total admissions within the next five years.  However, under China's state controlled quota system, only 34 foreign films per year are permitted to be released and these are usually the big-budget, blockbuster bruisers from Hollywood. So, what movie producers are trying to do is team-up with Chinese production companies so that the films they produce will be considered co-productions and not be counted in the quota.

China is different in its censorship. First, there is no certification (rating) system as we have in the U.S. where the MPAA rates the movies for various age groups (i.e. PG-13, R, etc.) In China films are approved by the State - for everyone or not at all.  The censorship criteria is not explained, but films are routinely rejected for distribution based on religion, sex and violence, and any and all things that, even remotely, cast a bad light on China's rulers, history, military, human rights, etc. As one Chinese censor stated, "We want to see positive Chinese images".  In addition to censorship issues, film producers/distributors must contend with a reduced box-office cut, as studios normally get only 25% of the box office take in China, about one-half of what is the norm in the U.S.

Due to the Cultural Revolution and many years of media control, China is virtually a missing piece in the history of the cinema.  Most of the Chinese produced films stopped production in the 1940s and have since produced films that get official approval, which tend to be lame comedies or historical action films catering to a youthful audience.  China is building a huge movie industry but does not have the products to make it profitable.  Eventually, I believe, the bans and censorship will diminish and the Chinese will move toward a movie rating system similar to the U.S. aged based one.  Political criticism will not be tolerated but a more liberal stance on social issues will.

Best
Jim Lavorato