CRI听力:Telling Chinese Stories to the World through Film

In recent decades, some of China's most outstanding films have competed for International awards and gained recognition on the world stage.

Despite success at international film festivals, Chinese movies are struggling to attract an American audience.

Nicholas Meyer, famous for directing two Star Trek feature films, and the TV movie The Day After explains why Americans like Chinese action films.

"The problems that Chinese movies have in America is the problem of subtitles. The problem of verses been dubbed, neither of these are satisfactory. Most of them compromise the actor, one way or another. That is why these action films are preferable"

While China's kongfu movies continue to be popular in America other Chinese films are not so attractive.

Feng Xiaogang is one of China's most renowned film directors.

Many of his films have been hits in China but failed to make an impact in the international market.

He believes that the problem in attracting overseas audiences, is not that they can't understand the stories in Chinese films, but rather that they don't want to.

"They have no interest in understanding a nation which is not powerful. They don't care about the real life story of the Chinese but are only looking for something strange and unique. That's why Chinese action films are well accepted overseas. Action films have no requirement of story or language."

American film producer Gary Kurtz, best known for co-producing "Star Wars," has a different view on this issue.

"Many countries have tried to imitate the kind of Hollywood big skill and action adventure films, and have failed completely. And yet some small film about a family trying to get along with each other can have impact worldwide. So you have to make the film for you own culture first, and sometimes it breaks out automatically and no one seems to know why."

Telling a good story and focusing on a country's culture may provide ideas for China's directors in their pursuit for International recognition. While some Chinese film makers have enjoyed success overseas the Chinese film industry is yet to maintain it's presence on the world stage.

For CRI, this is Emily Hennessy reporting from Shanghai.