@Vitaliy_Kiselev I agree. And on the point of self-determination that someone else made, that's a tricky affair and to some extent I would argue that restricting foreign films increases national self-determination in the strictest sense of the word. Individual self-determination may be constrained somewhat by such restrictions (I'm reluctant to call it censorship), but national self-determination only stands to benefit from promoting domestic technology and the arts through a limit on what foreign films are shown.

In the true spirit of communism, vis-a-vis the principle of internationalism, there would be no such thing as "foreign" art. But in Marxist analysis, American film is not "art" at all, but rather a commodity, carrying with it all of the corrupting contexts of capitalism.

I think it's a simple question of control: by limiting foreign films, you're giving the Chinese governe,mt more control over what it's people see. It's not a lot more control, but it is more control.

There is a viable argument that this is a great well to shelter the chinese film industry, for a limited number of years, so it can develop the capacity to compete with American films (although this provision has been in place for decades, at some point it either happens or doesn't). But come on, this is china, and this is about control of content. The Chinese government can more easily control the content of Chinese films.

The French film industry is highly subsidized and does exert some control over filmmakers, although its more of a "we choose you but not you" sort of control. For anyone trying to break into the industry that can be devastating. It's about who you know, not what you know.

Meanwhile, other countries have similar requirements as China. Canadian films and television need to be a certain percentage Canadian (they mostly get American TV) and a certain percentage French canadian. There are mandates, in law, that this content be fundamentally "Canadian." Since this is defined in contrast to very, very similar American content, it often leaves filmmakers asking, "what does 'Canadian' mean?" often it means more shots of moose and hockey and molson.

The minute the state becomes involved in aiding the arts in any way, it begins to exert control. The US Army for instance, will lend equipment to big Hollywood films that it believes portray it positively, but not to films that it thinks won't. It recently collaborated with the indie film "Act of Valor" lending active duty navy seals to act in the film. Also in the US, some states have started restricting tax breaks to films that portray the state in a positive fashion. Does that mean that Taxi Driver wouldn't qualify for NY tax breaks?

Government help means some degree of government control.

When you talk to filmmakers in countries where the government subsidizes or limits trade on films, they spend their time thinking about what film they can make that will appeal to government bureaucrats, not to audiences. And that has to be the goal...to make something people want to see.

Putting limits on what people can see is not the way to ensure a happy audience.

@anacrofilosoteca, It's not about the actual facts. A lot of opinions in this thread are really just thinly veiled frustration based on people feeling that "America" somehow controls what they watch, and therefor, controls their culture and that autocratic governments should control homeland entertainment to keep "American" influences to a minimum. It's the same argument we always hear, just applied to a different excuse as to why ____ country's occupants are unhappy. Everybody seems to think americans are all rich and have all the power and control in the world and then they look at themselves and wonder why they are so unhappy and come to the conclusion that somehow America must be holding them back. Well, that's not true. We are just as poor and unhappy as the rest of the world, mainly because everybody blames us for everything. :)

I'm surprised no one has referenced any specific Chinese films, when there is such a wealth to choose from. Here's one recent example (I'll try to embed, otherwise also post the link.)

https://prescreen.com/movie/The-Woman-Knight-of-Mirror-Lake?st=email/daily/missed

Taiwan, China, and HK all have distinct film traditions. It's incorrect to lump them all together as "Chinese" just as it's incorrect to conflate British and US filmmaking or Mexican and Argentine filmmaking.

Wang Bing docs are intense. Yimou Zhang has made some beautiful productions (Raise the Red Lantern, Ju Dou, To Live etc.). I've no idea how these types of films are received in China though.