OPINION> Commentary
Time to depict China properly
(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-02-27 07:40

China should regain the courage to shoot realistic films, says an article in China Youth Daily. The following is an excerpt:

Oscar-winner Slumdog Millionaire has resonated with audiences for having the guts to reveal social realities in India - police using torture to coerce a statement, the deaths of civilians out of religious conflicts, and child abductions and abuses.

No wonder some Indians protested, believing it blemished the image of India. However, the Indian government rejected this charge and approved its screening.

The fate of this movie in India displays a sharp contrast with some Chinese films. When Jia Zhangke won international acclaim with his masterpiece, Still Life, he was even blamed for "trading the sufferings and sorrows of his motherland for the good impression of Westerners".

Chinese filmmakers have produced quite a number of excellent realistic films, but unfortunately those films that have been introduced to the international community show off some decayed stuff from our country's glorious history. As some contend today, realistic films are moving farther and father away from China's film circle.

(China Daily 02/27/2009 page6)