A different made-in-China film hit

By Lu Yuhang
0 Comment(s)Print E-mail CRI, June 8, 2015
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Apart from the murder plotline, the film also has other plotlines mirroring contradictions existing in present Chinese social classes. One participant is a rich real estate developer, and he is in the mimic jury because his young and beautiful girlfriend is a student in the law school, who he claims he will marry. When he is called capitalist and when another participant, a shopkeeper, accidentally implies that he is very rich out of exploiting the working class, he finally bursts out in rage.

Each of the participants represents a typical group of Chinese. Some of them seem to be winners of life such as the real estate developer, while others, such as the shopkeeper, seem to be losers. However, no matter who they are, each one of them has been hurt and insulted by life. The film vividly presents a social dilemma built and developed by differences and misunderstandings between various walks of life in the country and this dilemma bothers every member in society, though what bothers them varies.

While in China where Marxism discourse of social struggle still exists and plays a part, the distinction of different class and the concept of middle class are rarely used.

One of the 12 citizens, a doctor, can be seen as a typical representative of it. He is rational and refined. This kind of person is well-educated and well-paid, and has morality principles, but tends to hide his opinion and enjoys his invisibility, just like the group is invisible in China now. In this sense, the portrait of him in the film is very accurate.

A Fast-Growing Market

12 Citizens has contributed to the variety of Chinese films, as most of the recent Chinese films are strictly confined as comedy, romantic film and action movies. For a market which grows so fast, such a development is crucial.

China film box office revenue has surpassed that in the United States in this February for the first time. The box office takings in China during the Chinese Lunar New Year Holiday made China the world's biggest box-office market for the month. According to research firm Entgroup, China's total box office takings for February was $650 million compared to $640 million in the US.

12 Citizens is on the verge of breaking certain norms in China's film industry. The depictions of divergences and contradictions of social classes, and the illustration of the discrimination in different regions of China, together with other disclosure on the negative sides of the nation, can be seen as "highlighting the dark side of the society", and also "hurtful to the emotion of masses".

The writer is a Master's program student at the School of Journalism and Communication, Tsinghua University

 

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