Aspiring film-makers in China are continuing to hone their craft through independent workshops despite a tightening state censorship regime that effectively bars films critiquing society from public screens.
In the central city of Lingbao, Henan province, 36-year-old director Nan Xin hosts intensive 10-day courses for dozens of students. Nan, best known for his 2022 production Go Fishing, offers these workshops for as little as 50 yuan (£5.49) per day to widen access to the craft.
However, the reality of the industry remains stark. Unless a film receives the longbiao, or “dragon seal” approval from the China Film Administration, it cannot be legally screened in China, reports The Guardian.
Nan’s own film, Go Fishing, was denied this permit on the grounds that it “does not align with core socialist values,” despite being selected for several international festivals.
“Nightmare” of red lines
The censorship environment has become increasingly restrictive since a 2016 law mandated that the longbiao is required even for overseas submissions.
Chris Berry, a professor of film studies at King’s College London, notes that since President Xi Jinping came to power in 2012, ideas regarding “civil society” have been branded as “pernicious western liberal democratic ideas”.
An anonymous documentary director described the process as “suffocating,” noting that criteria are often arbitrary and dependent on individual censors.
Nan Xin warned that while students may feel free now, “the moment they decide to make a feature film, censorship will become their nightmare”.
Personal over political
Many young creators are adapting by shifting their focus from societal critiques to personal narratives. Han Xizhu, a 24-year-old engineering graduate attending the workshop, expressed a desire to make “light and relaxed” films about relationships, similar to Woody Allen’s Annie Hall. “It does not have to discuss some major theme, or link back to society,” he said.
Others, however, have already clashed with the system. Xu Shuai, 24, recently left a theatre job in Beijing where he was tasked with censoring scripts. He reported that themes such as sex, suicide, government criticism, and anything Japanese were routinely rejected.
Despite the risks, Xu intends to make a film about depression – a topic he fears the government may suppress due to concerns over “social contagion”.
Nan Xin encourages his students to remain undaunted, insisting it is not the responsibility of the youth that Chinese cinema faces such hurdles.
