Resilience and Reflections: A Study of Chinese Cinema in the Wake of Global Challenges and Socio-Political Shifts

The Chinese film industry has undergone significant transformations, particularly amidst the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and global socio-political shifts. This evolution encompasses a complex interplay between tradition and modernity, state control versus artistic freedom, and China’s burgeon...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Changsong Wang, Lucyann Kerry, Xiaotian Gao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2025-07-01
Series:SAGE Open
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440251357163
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850074272473546752
author Changsong Wang
Lucyann Kerry
Xiaotian Gao
author_facet Changsong Wang
Lucyann Kerry
Xiaotian Gao
author_sort Changsong Wang
collection DOAJ
description The Chinese film industry has undergone significant transformations, particularly amidst the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and global socio-political shifts. This evolution encompasses a complex interplay between tradition and modernity, state control versus artistic freedom, and China’s burgeoning global ambitions. This study examines diverse elements of film production, commercialization, and the nuanced dynamics of both domestic and international box-office performance, specifically focusing on the pivotal year of 2023—a juncture marked by global events intersecting with domestic geopolitical landscapes. Domestically, the Chinese government further refined its media and cultural policies, strategically shaping the framework for film production, distribution, and international collaborations. During this period, Chinese studios intensified their efforts to balance commercial viability with culturally embedded storytelling, aiming to engage both domestic and global audiences effectively. Through a problem-centered interview approach with nine Chinese scholars recognized as leading figures of film studies in China, this study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the industry in 2023. Their engagement with the inquiry process and the subsequent interview results offer what may be a new and comprehensive depth of understanding to the Chinese film industry. This may lay a new foundation for better understanding the marked disparity between locally acknowledged Chinese box office successes and the substantial divergence from Hollywood’s pervasive influence.
format Article
id doaj-art-fa5c4a6cf99e41a89038dcb8162a4ed7
institution DOAJ
issn 2158-2440
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher SAGE Publishing
record_format Article
series SAGE Open
spelling doaj-art-fa5c4a6cf99e41a89038dcb8162a4ed72025-08-20T02:46:38ZengSAGE PublishingSAGE Open2158-24402025-07-011510.1177/21582440251357163Resilience and Reflections: A Study of Chinese Cinema in the Wake of Global Challenges and Socio-Political ShiftsChangsong Wang0Lucyann Kerry1Xiaotian Gao2Xiamen University Malaysia, Sepang, Selangor, MalaysiaWright State University, Dayton, OH, USACangzhou Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, ChinaThe Chinese film industry has undergone significant transformations, particularly amidst the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and global socio-political shifts. This evolution encompasses a complex interplay between tradition and modernity, state control versus artistic freedom, and China’s burgeoning global ambitions. This study examines diverse elements of film production, commercialization, and the nuanced dynamics of both domestic and international box-office performance, specifically focusing on the pivotal year of 2023—a juncture marked by global events intersecting with domestic geopolitical landscapes. Domestically, the Chinese government further refined its media and cultural policies, strategically shaping the framework for film production, distribution, and international collaborations. During this period, Chinese studios intensified their efforts to balance commercial viability with culturally embedded storytelling, aiming to engage both domestic and global audiences effectively. Through a problem-centered interview approach with nine Chinese scholars recognized as leading figures of film studies in China, this study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the industry in 2023. Their engagement with the inquiry process and the subsequent interview results offer what may be a new and comprehensive depth of understanding to the Chinese film industry. This may lay a new foundation for better understanding the marked disparity between locally acknowledged Chinese box office successes and the substantial divergence from Hollywood’s pervasive influence.https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440251357163
spellingShingle Changsong Wang
Lucyann Kerry
Xiaotian Gao
Resilience and Reflections: A Study of Chinese Cinema in the Wake of Global Challenges and Socio-Political Shifts
SAGE Open
title Resilience and Reflections: A Study of Chinese Cinema in the Wake of Global Challenges and Socio-Political Shifts
title_full Resilience and Reflections: A Study of Chinese Cinema in the Wake of Global Challenges and Socio-Political Shifts
title_fullStr Resilience and Reflections: A Study of Chinese Cinema in the Wake of Global Challenges and Socio-Political Shifts
title_full_unstemmed Resilience and Reflections: A Study of Chinese Cinema in the Wake of Global Challenges and Socio-Political Shifts
title_short Resilience and Reflections: A Study of Chinese Cinema in the Wake of Global Challenges and Socio-Political Shifts
title_sort resilience and reflections a study of chinese cinema in the wake of global challenges and socio political shifts
url https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440251357163
work_keys_str_mv AT changsongwang resilienceandreflectionsastudyofchinesecinemainthewakeofglobalchallengesandsociopoliticalshifts
AT lucyannkerry resilienceandreflectionsastudyofchinesecinemainthewakeofglobalchallengesandsociopoliticalshifts
AT xiaotiangao resilienceandreflectionsastudyofchinesecinemainthewakeofglobalchallengesandsociopoliticalshifts