The rules of the game: how film festivals and sales agents have shaped the consumption of Chinese (independent) films

This article examines the role of major European film festivals and sales agents in the exhibition and circulation of Chinese cinema since the late 1980s. After the Fifth Generation of Chinese directors, Chinese film-makers have regularly attended major international film events such as Venice, Cannes and Berlin. However, while festivals have helped to establish the reputation and circulation of the works of Zhang Yuan, Wang Xiaoshuai, Jia Zhangke, Wang Bing and others, they have also shaped a narrative of Chinese independent cinema. How can we discuss the interplay between film festivals and the evolution of the Chinese film scene? What is the role of international sales agents in relation to the presentation of Chinese cinema in Europe? And how have exhibition practices changed over the years since the affirmation of Chinese cinema in the late 1980s? Drawing upon the expanding field of film festival studies, this article suggests that festivals and international sales agents have found a convergence of interests in promoting a certain line of Chinese cinema at a specific historical juncture.

A description of the ongoing dynamics connecting the global film industry and the presentation of Chinese films at international film festivals.