Chinese Films Abroad: Distribution and Translation (Routledge Studies in Chinese Cinema)

This book examines Chinese films made and shown abroad roughly between the 1920s and the 2020s, from the beginning of the international exchange of the Chinese national film industry to the emergence of the concept of soft power. The periodisation of Chinese cinema(s) does not necessarily match the political periods: on the one hand, the technical development of the film industry and the organisation of translation in China, and on the other hand, official relations with China and translation policies abroad impose different constraints on the circulation of Chinese films. This volume deals with the distribution and translation of films from mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the Chinese diaspora. To this end, the contributors address various issues related to the circulation and distribution of Chinese films, including co- productions, agents of exchange, and modes of translation. The approach is a mixture of socio- cultural and translational methods. The data collected provides, for the first time, a quantitative overview of the circulation of Chinese films in a dozen foreign countries. The book will greatly interest scholars and students of Chinese cinema, translation studies, and China studies. Cover Half Title Series Information Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents List of Figures List of Tables List of Contributors Acknowledgements Introduction I.1 Internationalisation: Evolution, Impact of Chinese Cinemas I.2 Dissemination of Chinese Films I.3 A Journey From East to West, From Sunrise to Sunset Note References 1 From Benshi to Subtitler: Translating Chinese-Language Cinema In/for Japan 1.1 Obstacles to Research 1.2 “Silent” Pictures 1.3 Talkies and Transition 1.4 Occupation and Beyond 1.5 Subtitling From the Academy 1.6 Three Modes of Translation Acknowledgments Notes References 2 Transnational By Means of Hyperlocal: Sinophone Cinema in Singkawang (West Kalimantan) 2.1 Singkawang Hakka Culture 2.2 Sino-Indonesian Cinema 2.2.1 Li Bun Ku in New Era (Xin Bian Li Wen Gu, 2013) 2.2.1 Between Two Worlds, Forgive Me, Mum and What Should I Do, Mum? 2.3 Multiracial Harmony Cinema 2.4 Conclusion Notes References 3 The Interlocking Cogs of Audiovisual Translation and the Socio-Political Landscape: A Cultural Exchange Between Korea and China 3.1 Introduction 3.2 The Collaborative Production During the Japanese Colonial Era 3.3 Seeking Cultural Exchange Partners During and After the Korean War 3.4 Cultural Exchanges Between China and Korea From the 1980s Up to the 2010s 3.5 Moving Forward: Translating Chinese Films Into Korean in the 2020s and Beyond Notes References 4 The Trans-Narration of Chinese Kung Fu Films By Swahili Language DJs, in Tanzania 4.1 Analysing the Context of New Form of Art 4.2 The History of This New Culture 4.3 The Story of DJ Black 4.4 Conclusion Note References 5 Chinese Cinema in Spain 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Methodology 5.2.1 Data Collection and Preparation 5.2.2 Semi-Structured Online Interviews With Key Agents 5.3 Results and Discussion 5.3.1 Evolution of the Screening of Chinese Cinema in Spain 5.3.2 Origin of the Chinese Films Screened in Spain 5.3.3 What Kind of Films Have Been Screened in Spain? 5.3.4 Channels of Distribution of Chinese Films in Spain 5.4 Conclusions Acknowledgements Notes References 6 Chinese Cinema at the Invitation of French Cinema Literati: Chinese Film Events and Festivals in France 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Logics at Work in the 1970s–1980s 6.3 Cinema Literati as Motivators of Diplomatic Film Exchanges in the 1980s 6.4 The French Film Industry and the Franco-Chinese Cultural Week Programme 6.5 The Chinese Film Festival of Montpellier (1984–1996): A Project By and for French Cinephiles 6.6 Cinema Literati’s Involvement in Official Chinese Film Events 6.7 Conclusion Notes References 7 The Issue of “Chineseness” in the Italian Translation of Chinese Films Between the Early 1990s and 2018 7.1 The Diffusion of Chinese Cinemas in Italy, From 1980 to Today 7.2 Film Festivals in Europe as a Means of Diffusion of Chinese Cinemas 7.3 The Corpus 7.4 Italian Voices for Chinese Features and Gestures 7.4.1 Dubbing as a Bridge Between Cultures 7.4.1.1 Visual–Verbal Cohesion 7.4.2 The Rendering of Culture in Dubbing 7.4.2.1 Religions, Beliefs, Philosophy, and Ethics 7.4.2.2 Subcultures in Translation: the Jianghu 7.4.2.3 Between Men and Women 7.5 Conclusion Notes References 8 Patronage in Chinese Film Dissemination and Translation From 1971 to 1993: The German-Language Countries 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Historical Background 8.3 Film Dissemination and Translation 1971–1978 8.4 Film Selection and Translation After Introduction of “Reform and Opening-Up” 8.5 Selection of Films for Export 8.6 Audiovisual Translation for Screenings in the German Language Region 8.7 Conclusion Notes References 9 A History of Firsts: The Translation and Distribution of Chinese-Language Films in the United Kingdom 9.1 Introduction 9.2 From the Silent Era to the 1940s 9.3 War Films in the 1930s and 1940s 9.4 The 1950s 9.5 Non-Commercial Film Screenings in the 1950s and 1960s 9.6 Independent Distributors of Chinese Films in the UK 9.7 Popular Genre Films of the 1970s and 1980s 9.8 Chinese Films On Television 9.9 Critical Success for Chinese Films in the UK 9.10 Translating Chinese Films 9.11 Conclusion Notes References 10 Film Audiences as Context for Translation: Three Sketches of Chinese Cinema in the United States 10.1 Chinatown Goes to the Movies: Language as a Marker of Temporality 10.2 The Rise of Kung Fu and the Creative Potential of Dubbing 10.3 Subtitles Wanted: Chinese Cinema’s Academic Turn 10.4 Conclusion Notes References 11 The Celluloid Road Across the Pacific: Chinese Film Exhibitions in 1920s Honolulu 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Chinese Films in San Francisco in the 1920s: A Comparison 11.3 Breaking a Calm: Before the United Exchange Arrives in the Aloha State 11.4 The First Wave: The Exhibition of the Commercial Press’s Films 11.5 The Second Wave: Suturing Into Homeland On Screen 11.6 The Big Wave: Park Theater as Intellectual Saloon of Chinese Films 11.7 Conclusion Notes References 12 Brief Analysis of Chinese Films Within the Film Industry in Argentina, Chile, Mexico, and Uruguay 12.1 Introduction 12.2 The Situation in Argentina 12.3 The Film Landscape in Chile 12.4 The Situation in Mexico 12.5 The Situation in Uruguay 12.6 Conclusion References Index