Jessie W. 2023 | BASIS Independent Silicon Valley
- Project Title: Response to Tragedies as portrayed in Contemporary Chinese Films
- BASIS Independent Advisor: Manisha Banga
- Internship Location: Cinequest
- Onsite Mentor: Matt Parent
With my internship at Cinequest, I observed that there has been a significant withdrawal of Chinese films from large film festivals, with most submissions consisting of small independent films. The increasing censorship guidelines in China due to the political climate prevent filmmakers from producing desired narratives. Using written sources and a selection of films from the past three years including 1921, a film commemorating the establishment of the Chinese communist party, I will analyze how China propagandizes films specifically through emotional interactions to spread its desired narratives. Through this analysis, I aim to identify the process by which they alter media to eliminate conflicting narratives.