Seventh International Conference on Communication & Media Studies

Abstract

China implements a strict censorship regime and import quota schemes to promote Communist Party’s core values and to protect the domestic film industry. All films made in China need to go under careful reviewing processes to obtain a screening permit. Films that failed to pass the review would not be allowed to circulate in the market. Those measures could limit the viewership of independent films in traditional media, but not in alternative spaces such as underground film clubs, museums, and the Internet. This paper investigates how independent documentary films are produced, distributed, and consumed after 2000. Results show that documentary films rejected by the state have created an underground ecosystem without attempting to enter the official circuit. Self-censorship and unintentional intellectual property infringement are also discussed.