Contemporary Chinese Films and Celebrity Directors

This new text examines recent popular Chinese films and derivative cultural phenomena, with a focus on films directed by celebrity directors such as Han Han, Guo Jingming, Xu Jinglei and Zhao Wei. In opposition to Fifth and Sixth Generation Chinese filmmakers who explored the grand-narratives of history, the oppression of the pre-socialist and socialist eras, and those marginalized by socio-economic changes, the celebrity directors at the heart of this book center on the new trends of living and emotional challenges faced by contemporary Chinese people, in particular the younger generations. This book sheds light on newly emerging social and cultural fashions in contemporary China, such as the social stigma of being 'left-over' (reflected in Xu Jinglei's films), the issue of wealth 'flaunting' (represented in Guo Jingming's films) or nostalgia for the long lost innocence of adolescence (demonstrated in Zhao Wei's film). Considering present-day consumer capitalism through the lens ofcinema, this text analyses in detail the significance of films chosen for their relevance, providing a reflection of social reality and cultural changes in 21st century China.

Dr Shenshen Cai is a Lecturer at the Swinburne University of Technology in Australia. Originally from Beijing, Dr Cai completed her PhD in contemporary Chinese culture studies with the School of Humanities at Griffith University and has a broad research interest in contemporary Chinese literature, film, theatre and folklore studies.

Introduction.- Han Han and His Debut Film The Continent: Identity in Flux, Cruel Youth, and Broken Ideals.- Guo Jingming and His Tiny Times Film Series.- Xu Jinglei: A Successful Actor-writer-director.- Zhao Wei and Her Debut Film So Young: Nostalgia for the Innocent Adolescent.- Jiang Wen and His Signature Films: Let the Bullets Fly and Gone with the Bullets.- Jiang Wenli and Her Autobiographical Film Lan.- Conclusion.