“Technical Reasons”—The Unspoken Rules of Chinese Film Censorship
Chinese Film Censorship has deep historical roots. On December 12, 2001, during the 50th executive meeting of the State Council, the Regulations on the Administration of Films was adopted, specifying in its “Article 25” ten content prohibitions for films:
On April 3, 2006, a conference held by the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television(SARFT) passed the Regulations on the Filing of Film Scripts (Summaries) and the Administration of Films, where in its “Article 14” delineated nine circumstances necessitating cuts or modifications to films:
In March 2018, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China(CPC) issued the Plan for Deepening the Reform of Party and State Institutions, announcing the transfer of the responsibilities of film management from the SARFT to the Central Propaganda Department. Thus, the Central Propaganda Department, known for its adeptness in issuing directives regarding ideological content across media platforms, would directly take charge of film censorship by assuming the guise of the China Film Administration. This shift signaled a more stringent control by the CPC over the ideological aspects of cinema.
In February 2019, the film One Second, directed by Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou and set against the backdrop of the Cultural Revolution, announced its withdrawal from the main competition of the 69th Berlin International Film Festival citing “technical reasons.” Since then, “technical reasons” have frequently emerged as a pretext for films failing to pass Chinese censorship, casting a shadow over the mainland Chinese film market.
The film “One Second” is not the first movie directed by Zhang Yimou to be withdrawn due to film censorship. His film “To Live” won the Grand Prix of the Jury at the 47th Cannes Film Festival but has yet to be released in mainland China.
“I remember Zhang Yimou’s words every day were, ‘This detail needs to be modified like this so that it can pass censorship.’ At that time, I admired Zhang Yimou a lot. I thought, how does he understand the CPC so well? Then, following his instructions, the modifications were made, but the film still did not pass censorship. So, from then on, I no longer admire Zhang Yimou, I ‘admire’ the CPC.”
- Yu Hua, author of the novel “To Live”
In November 2020, One Second, originally scheduled to open the 33rd Golden Rooster Awards, was again canceled from the festival citing “technical reasons.”
As a leading figure among the 5th generation of Chinese directors, Zhang Yimou has consistently been either revered or jestingly referred to as the “National Master.” This appellation stems from his multifaceted contributions, notably including his directorship of significant events such as the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the PRC. On this premise, the repeated withdrawal of One Second created a tense atmosphere, making it clear to filmmakers that the Chinese government had tightened its grip on film censorship once more-No one is exempt.
The primary issue with Chinese film censorship lies in the lack of clear guidelines, leaving creators to navigate uncertain terrain. The ambiguity of censorship rules implies boundless censorship powers. The determination of whether a film passes censorship is no longer based on objective legal criteria but rather on subjective judgments. To avoid economic losses, filmmakers have increasingly steered away from sensitive topics. The goal outlined in the 14th Five-Year Plan for the development of Chinese films, emphasizing a commitment to the creation of more intellectually profound film works, has become nothing more than a hollow slogan.
“We talked politics and debated here, we wept for the silent land, we blushed for the strange crowd, we made all the fools of literary youths, and there are hoots and hollers to remember it all. But you’re wrong, I’m never ashamed, never sorry.”
— Jia Zhangke’s Movie Handbook
According to preliminary statistics from the China Film Administration, during the 2024 Spring Festival holiday, the national box office revenue reached 8.016 billion yuan, with 163 million admissions. Compared to the 2023 Spring Festival holiday, the box office revenue and admissions increased by 18.47% and 26.36% respectively, setting new records for the same period. Behind the seemingly prosperous box office data lies the proliferation of propaganda-laden commercial films and the long-standing compromises and silence of Chinese filmmakers under censorship pressure.
At last, using the remarks from the 15th FIRST International Film Festival Xining-We hope that Chinese films will finally reach reality and the audience, and there will be no more “technical reasons.”
