GAN Xiao’er; Translator: WU Bo
Abstract
The author describes the profile of peasant Christian audiences in China through the screening of his own independent film Raised From Dust 举自尘土 (dir. Gan Xiao’er, 2007) in Henan province in 2007, and also represents the discussions at the China Independent Film Festival (中国独立影像年度展) (CIFF) in Nanjing in the same year. It is suggested that the concept of ‘independent film’ should be based on the true sense of the production mode, that is, the kind of production as an addition to those in the major state studios. ‘Chinese independent film’ is likely to become a historical term, referring to the production of independent films in China in the past thirty years, because the underground film model is unsustainable. However, what is really sad is not the banning of the independent film festivals, but the fact that no excellent independent films were produced in the past few years. The author also shares the frustrating situation of the production of his first licensed, ‘dragon seal’ film.