This podcast discusses the state of the film industry in China. It touches on how films are used by major nations to cultivate soft power and the limitations China faces as it attempts to do the same. It surveys the Chinese box office which will soon overtake the U.S. as the highest grossing country in terms of box office sales. Professor Rosen then shares with us insights into trends in Chinese filmmaking, film import policies, and content restrictions. It closes with an examination of the cultural and social influence of foreign films in China and how Chinese films might spread Chinese culture abroad.
Stanley Rosen is professor of political science at the University of Southern California and Faculty Master of University Residential College at Bimkrant. Rosen is a specialist on politics in China, Chinese film, and Chinese society. He is the author or editor of numerous books and articles and has written on topics ranging from the Chinese legal system to film and the media. Professor Rosen’s ongoing projects include a study of Hollywood films in China and the prospects for Chinese films on the international market, particularly in the United States.