Author: Cangshan Erhai沧山耳海 Translator: Xiang FAN樊响
Abstract
Human beings go through a challenging but blissful journey to meet themselves through self-questioning and discovering. Throughout the human history of the production of art and the expression and transmission of thoughts, numerous genres and forms have been born or faded under persistent changes. Although born in almost the same period in China, contemporary art and direct cinema are in different forms. They have degenerated very different social effects and practical values in their own developing paths. Which direction are they moving toward? How will they develop? What kind of reality and fate do the creators and their artistic creations (works)? Based on my subjective vision, the term ‘direct cinema’ in this essay will be used in conjunction with the existing terms such as ‘independent cinema’, ‘independent documentary’, and ‘independent film’ in the specific context in China.
Keywords: film, contemporary art, independent cinema, purity and dignity of art