The Chinese film industry is brimming with promise and capturing more of the spotlight, but there is still room for improvement, say experts.

 

"Judging from the outcome of the local markets over the past two or three years, it is safe to predict that the Chinese film industry will become even stronger in the years to come," said Li Ershi, a Chinese film historian with the Beijing Film Academy. "It certainly has great growth potential."

 

Still, the industry has not done enough to fill the needs of the majority of Chinese audiences, Li said.

 

"Further reforms, such as the formulation and application of a film promotion law, are essential for the sustainable development of the Chinese film industry," Li said.

 

The drafting of the Film Promotion Law reportedly started late last year and a rough draft has so far been worked out, said Zhao Shi, vice-minister of the State General Administration of Radio, Film and Television, at an international seminar on the centennial of Chinese cinema art a week ago. Zhao made no indication when the draft will be finalized and submitted to the National People's Congress for approval before taking effect.

 

"Chinese film professionals need to see a more encouraging scenario before they can give full play to their creative potential; private and foreign investors need to see more favourable conditions for their business ventures in the growing film sector," Li said.

 

Other experts are echoing Li's call to boost the country's promising film industry.

 

Wang Xingdong, a renowned Chinese scriptwriter, pointed out in his speech at the international seminar that the absence of a sound Film Promotion Law, which is expected to include a film rating system, does hamper the enthusiasm of Chinese film scriptwriters. Scriptwriters are usually ignored and underpaid by film producers, resulting in the flooding of numerous Chinese movies with poorly-told stories.

 

The Film Promotion Law will better help protect the intellectual property rights of Chinese movies and imported films as well, which will in turn secure a better movie theatre attendance rate as more and more people choose not to watch pirated DVDs but to watch movies in high-quality cinemas backed up by investment, management and technologies from Western media giants such as Warner Brothers, said Chen Baoguang, a veteran editor with Popular Cinema magazine.

 

"The problems troubling Chinese film industry must be dealt with seriously and effectively. At present, price cuts in cinema tickets, investment in more digital movie theatres, and the introduction of more private money into the film sector are some of the remedies," suggested Huang Shixian, a Beijing Film Academy professor.

 

"We need more price cuts and discounted tickets. The half price ticket policy on Tuesday mornings adopted by Chinese cinemas since early this year could not satisfy Chinese audiences," said film critic Miao Chun.

 

For the future prosperity of the Chinese film industry, it is extremely important to seek closer cross-regional co-operation between mainland film-makers, Hong Kong and Taiwan film professionals and film-producing forces from Japan and South Korea, Huang said.

 

Huang's view was echoed by Doe Sung Hee, a South Korean film professional who has been involved in some film projects jointly executed by film-makers and investors from both the Chinese mainland and South Korea.

 

"With Sino-Korea cooperation in film financing and film-making increasing rapidly in recent years, a win-win situation is appearing for both countries due to their cultural and geographical kinship," said Doe in her speech at the seminar.

 

(China Daily December 29, 2005)