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Fri,Aug 29,2014
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For films, independent should mean influential

(Global Times)    08:46, August 29, 2014
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The 11th Beijing Independent Film Festival (BIFF), scheduled to be held from August 23 to 31, was abruptly halted one day before its opening. There has been no official statement on the closure yet. The suspension of the festival set off a firestorm among independent filmmakers and caused criticism from foreign media over Chinese authority's grip on freedom of expression.

Started as a film forum in 2006, the BIFF takes place every year in the "artist town" of Songzhuang, an eastern suburb of Beijing. It has grown into one of the major platforms for independent filmmakers in China over the past years.

Along with the explosive growth of China's commercial film market, the number of independent films has also witnessed a boom. It's roughly estimated that over 400 independent films were produced in 2013. Chinese independent filmmakers have taken advantage of digital technology to capture certain social conflicts and issues of their daily lives.

Nevertheless, some independent filmmakers claimed that they suffered "suppression" from the authorities because they touched upon sensitive social and political topics in their documentaries.

Independent films are not taboo in Chinese society. Many topics that independent films take as main themes, such as migrant workers, AIDS, and water pollution, could be easily found in media reports and on social media. China is open enough to tolerate discussions about such topics.

Compared with commercial movies, independent films only have a small audience. Many Chinese audiences don't like the dark themes and expressions of independent films. On an online forum, one netizen shared his experience of visiting an independent festival in 2012. He couldn't find any company among his friends and there were only a few viewers at the festival.

As the international community defines it, "independence" actually means "de-commercialization and de-industrialization." These movies should tap into some of the most talked-about social and moral topics, filming them in a way that appeals to the masses, helping shape the discussion and opinions of many people.

China has kept advancing in cultural openness and has been encouraging cultural innovation. We need free expression of culture. But we have to dwell on how it will contribute to the country's social development. In recent years, several independent film festivals have been smoothly held in China. Perhaps it's time for independent filmmakers to consider how to take advantage of these platforms and create influential works.  

(Editor:Liang Jun、Zhang Qian)
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