Friday, July 29, 2011

Chinese Independent Film Fund can break the dilemma?

Chinese film independent film is a dimension of the ecological environment, its survival and development issues facing the reality of lack of funds. The emergence of independent film fund, could save China's independent film?

In early July, painting days, independent film fund "case in 2011 imposed constitution" in the watercress, Sohu, Sina and other websites, and was enthusiastic netizens spontaneously reproduced this painting by the Beijing days days to provide financial support for Culture Media Co., Ltd. from the Beijing Film Academy professor Zhang Xianmin hosted independent film fund, in November 2010 following the first independent production funded four small budget films (including two feature films, two documentaries), the levy this year published the case of the second charter in order to be able to support China's independent film making and contribute to a spread.

However, each nominated feature film funded $ 60,000 each nominated documentary, funded the $ 20,000 the amount of funds, the support of independent film can be described as inadequate. And the last two years, hundreds of Chinese commercial film market, 100 million for investment compared to the situation, the Chinese independent film director in a very difficult, still face the biggest problem is the lack of film funding.

Picture day: Support the creation and dissemination of independent film

November 2010, the first sign painting day fund prospectus issued two months after the case, they received 53 valid proposals, including 32 feature films, documentaries 21. This is far beyond Zhang Xianmin expectations, "I estimate that there may be less than the original 25 projects enrollment, did not expect to eventually receive up to 41 effective projects, which shows that China is still a lot of people doing independent film."

After carefully reading and watching films and discussions by Zhang Xianmin, documentary director Huang Wenhai, Drama director Zhang law three-member jury, selected in the first year to support the final film: Drama Director Mrs animated film " University City, "director Gao Peng's" Space Mountain Yi ", a documentary director Li Ning's" freeze \ satellite ", the director Wu Haohao the" kun4 visits grandmother home. "

4 movie support only 16 million funding "to support the amount is very small, but this is a no official background Fund, purely private acts." Zhang Xianmin stressed that, as a fund, the important point is "transparent" is searchable. "Every step of the operation is open, and will advance all the steps are clearly written and released. A Fund, is the need to work together to supervise the general public, only open and fair, in order for the Fund, which runs credibility. "

Establish a fund to support independent film can play a role in what exactly? Zhang Xianmin which stated: "First, expand the dissemination of independent film in China, the recycling of existing resources, film screenings and promote the sustainable use of cultural and metabolism; second is to support the creation of an independent film; third is to provide material for academic and comments and reference. "

Status: private capital is difficult to gain acceptance

Some people have used the three "no" to describe the status of Chinese independent film - "There is no technical support, do not take funding, did not broadcast platform." Most of the independent directors are on their own money to do a job, to maintain part-time independent film expenses. In recent years, the situation began to improve, some directors choose to go abroad, participate in overseas film festivals, winning the case if it can, both to gain reputation, but also a bonus, it has almost become an independent film director best choice. Such as Du Haibin's "Moment of truth" in the 2005 Pusan ​​Film Festival won the "Best Asian Documentary Award", which made him something of Korea University Foundation received $ 20,000 funding to shoot next film, "Rock Hill . "

And to the festival award-winning independent film has always been rare, not to mention far will not be forthcoming, local financial support is the best support for independent film. Founded in 2007, non-profit cultural and creative Foundation CNEX, the current domestic film subsidies range, quantity, amount of high-Fund. CNEX by the Beijing Association for International Exchange, Taiwan Professor Jiang Jianmei Foundation, to promote Hong Kong CNEX Foundation, urged the Chinese people around the world literary documentary production, exchange and promotion, support independent film projects. They said that since 2007 for 10 years, selected a year and the modern Chinese-related topics and relevant documentary collection the whole of society, and then workshop organized by the documentary, through expert selection decision, an annual subsidy of about 10 documentaries, with the image of the carrier to render the Chinese world change rings. Director Du Haibin's "1428" and by the Hong Kong independent film directed by director Zhang Jingwei, 2009, received the awards, "music of life", which are funded by shooting in CNEX completed. Indeed, the foreign production companies are also concerned about China through this channel in the independent film director, such as Bing's new work "folder Ditch" to get to France and Belgium funding.

However, Li Xianting Film Fund's artistic director, independent film director Zhu Kun said: "For now, China does not exist in the strict sense of the independent film fund, supported by a majority of independent film the activities of organizations named." If CNEX, there was established in October 2006, initiated by the artist Li Xianting non-profit fund - Xianting Film Fund, its main work is a collection of Chinese independent documentary film; funded the cost of a small independent film, especially independent documentary the creation, promotion and distribution, including project development, production, post and distribution of financial support, etc.; the construction of a Chinese independent film video archive, but it also exchange weeks and Beijing organizing independent documentary film festival and other activities.

"In Beijing the number of non-profit film fund is not more than 8, add up the number of Chinese funds also difficult to form a climate, while in the U.S. non-profit foundation for the film of not less than 6,000, more than 80% are basically independent film projects can apply directly to the Fund's support and help, which is behind the huge cultural gap. "fellow Beijing Normal University, Zhang said.

Dilemma: to be increased investment and cultural values

Zhang said the fellow, an independent film development environment for Chinese films play a very important role, "the prosperity of the film business and mainstream hits alone is not enough, need to multi-cultural symbiosis, a dollar, monotonous culture like state is not with the times consistent, is the unhealthy state of the independent film precisely because of the different style and form and independent thinking to bring you multi-angle, multi-level view of reality, think about the reality of rights. "

Although in recent years, the annual domestic production of a substantial number of independent film, but because of the domestic movie theaters year-round commercial monopoly, coupled with sensitivity to the theme of independent film and real images of the impact, so hard to find independent film theaters traces, " To build the voice of art theaters has been high, but eventually arrived in the commercial film extrusion, was strangled in the cradle. "Xianting Foundation, said Zhang Qi, director of operations.

"Mainly because there is no benefit out of the circle. No investment, survival more difficult, money is the most important current issues facing independent film." Zhang Qi said, "The reason is simple, although there are many private capital, but most are required to have In return, money, and independent films make money, many people lose money trading as an independent film, but independent film for improving the social and cultural level of effort is spontaneous, it can be said is a dedication, which need to rely more people's support, not just as an investment point of view. "

"Every independent film director's position is actually very difficult, they want to shoot their way to find the money or make money want to make things. And all these years has been so over a year we can see the exciting work. There so much conscious of the independent film-makers, should be said that the pride of a nation, need support. "fellow Hu Yu Zhang a number of factors work together to promote the development of independent film fund, in terms of policy, should recognize that everyone has the right to artistic expression, gradually recognize the independence of the legal status of the image. Second, the relative economic wealth funds to create a supportive environment, in order to allow more freedom of expression work. Third, to expand communication channels, so that valuable work can be ordered circulating.

Reporter Li Tsang

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