Analogies exist between industrial development and American cinema. This seems to be a parallel journey for China, albeit with differences in time. The World’s Factory inundated other countries with its products until it realized it could make them stay in China and serve a population confined to reduced consumption for too long. But industry couldn’t bend thousands of years of culture and therefore products for Chinese consumers have assumed local characteristics. The last stage—a seal of China’s newfound power—was the creation of products specifically for China. Industrialized countries are designing goods for Chinese consumers pandering to their tastes and preferences. It’s the unequivocal sign that the internal market is aligning with immense Chinese factories. In principle, the cinema industry is no different. China is discounting an impressive delay even in this sector. It’s light-years behind Hollywood’s power; in particular, it’s not capable of creating adequate soft power for its stature and ambitions. Chinese films have no diffusion overseas; they’re a cult of circular intellectual restrictions or lovers of martial arts. The US has taught that cinema is an essential vehicle for sustaining ideals and values in every country. But China has not yet demonstrated the ability and sensitivity to produce narrations that conquer the hearts and minds of a vast public. Almost to compensate, the internal cinema market is growing (about 30% per year), and has reached second place globally after the US. Box office sales for American films—especially the action genre—are enormous, but leave two unresolved problems that are insurmountable in the short term. The first concerns distribution. The agreement with the WTO in 2012 set the number of films that could be imported at 34 until 2017. This is a serious limitation, but China’s negotiating force imposed itself, or other countries neglected this fundamental aspect. Even more important is the censure imposed on foreign films. The State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film, and Television’s scissors are merciless and respond solely to the CPC’s criteria. Bureaucrats have no experience or willingness to judge on the base of Asian criteria. Their affirmations are constant and blunt: a positive image of China must be diffused, underlining peaceful force and the harmony of its construction. Too many doubts should not be instilled and critical consciences should not be agitated. The government, newspapers, and industry professionals express these positions daily. Consequently, US filmmakers choose to avoid obstacles to their success and censor themselves. They’re afraid of losing the public in China and cannot allow themselves to make mega productions without the Chinese box office. They cut the most controversial scenes, they hid in the sensationalism of action, avoiding situations that could irk the Chinese. Is it that hard to understand if they resigned themselves to China’s power or if they forgot the social and qualitative effects that great Hollywood cinema skillfully taught?
