Opinion | Watch action-hero films and legal dramas, Chongqing mayor advises judges

Chongqing's mayor believes there are two types of films judges should watch: action-hero films and courtroom dramas.

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Chongqing Mayor Huang Qifan speaks at the Chongqing delegation's group discussion during the National People's Congress. Photo: Reuters

Published: 12:04pm, 12 Mar 2013Updated: 7:01pm, 12 Mar 2013

China’s judges should watch more foreign films that involve heroes and court-rooms because they show that justice always prevails over evil - well most of the time anyway.

This is the advice of Huang Qifan, the mayor of Chongqing, to China's top court judges.

Huang made the suggestion during a panel discussion of the city's delegation as part of the National People's Congress (NPC) meeting in Beijing on Monday.

According to news portal China.com.cn, Huang urged Chinese judges to watch these foreign films because they would improve their ability to make decisions on important legal cases. However, he said it would be best to do the activity on Sundays - their day off.

During a session for the Chongqing delegation, Huang said there were two types of films judges should watch: action-hero films and courtroom dramas.

Watching action-hero films, Huang said, would improve judges’ abilities to balance emotion with rational thinking when making decisions.

Huang also encouraged judges to study western court-room dramas, particularly, films about American jury trials in which defendants and plaintiffs try to influence the jury’s final decision.