On the Edge of the Margins: Female Independent Documentary Filmmakers in Contemporary Mainland China

Abstract

The independent documentary film industry in contemporary mainland China has experienced dramatic changes over the past two decades, reflecting the rapid economic development and social transformations taking place in the People’s Republic. Established filmmakers, mainly male, trying to activate the local film market, and building reputations internationally, have been the main focus of studies relating to Chinese independent documentary cinema. Women filmmakers – who bring new dimensions to both film production and aesthetics – have been little studied in comparison to their male counterparts. These women must make concessions to the double pressures of mainstream ideology and a hidden culture of male chauvinism. This has seldom been discussed or even mentioned by researchers. This research explores the experiences and strategies of woman independent documentary filmmakers, including their response to having their work viewed through the prism of gender, in an industry that is dramatically changing, though still subject to social, political and economic constraints. This research comprises archival video-documentation and a written dissertation. The former consists of a series of six interviews with female independent documentary filmmakers that is presented on DVD; the latter provides a broader historical context and explores detailed case studies based on the transcribed interviews.