Chinese directors find greater freedom online making micro movies
Attracted by the freedom of the internet, mainland directors are increasingly channelling their energy into creating micro movies for online viewing. But the censors are never far behind, writes Adrian Wan
By the time Zhang Yuan managed to release Beijing Flickers in the Chinese capital in November, his latest big-screen feature had been in the can for more than a year.
The director used to be something of an enfant terrible in mainland cinema. Zhang made his name more than 20 years ago with neo-realist works such as East Palace, West Palace (which dealt with homosexual life) and Beijing Bastards (a portrait of marginalised rockers). He shifted to more conventional themes in later years, perhaps partly as a response to the eight-year ban that authorities imposed on him. So Beijing Flickers, a poetic examination of disaffected youth today, marked something of a return to form for the sixth-generation filmmaker.
After the premiere at the 2012 Toronto Film Festival and screenings in London and New York, however, Zhang's film was held up by the authorities. Such occupational hazards are why the 51-year-old director is increasingly channelling his energy into online productions, particularly for viewing on mobile devices.
"The kinds of films being viewed on video websites and how people access them have gone through great changes," Zhang says in his sunlit, tea-scented apartment in Beijing. "The internet offers greater freedom for creative minds as online videos don't have to go through the same censorship mechanism as films do."
The internet offers greater freedom for creative minds as online videos don’t have to go through the same censorship mechanism as films do
Tapping into China's rapid internet expansion, filmmakers of all stripes have utilised the online space to get creative or tackle topics that are unlikely to appear on big screens.