China Independent Film Festival Suspended Indefinitely
China Independent Film Festival (CIFF) has been suspended indefinitely, according to an announcement released by the festival committee on January 9. Founded in 2003 in Nanjing, a total of 14 editions of CIFF has taken place. In the announcement, the committee said it’s no longer possible to host a film festival today with a purely independent spirit. Therefore, they decided to shut CIFF down believing it has completed its historical mission. The committee also expressed their admiration for film festivals that stay in a censorship safe zone while trying their best to encourage the spirit of independence. Read more on Directube
Pre-sale Period for This Year’s Chinese New Year Films Are Shortened
As of today, pre-sale of this year’s Chinese new year films hasn’t started. For movies that are released during important holiday seasons, their ticket pre-sale usually starts more than 20 days in advance. This year’s unusual situation makes many people wonder what’s the reason behind the delay. Chinese entertainment media outlet National Business Daily decided to reach out to the regulators and some film producers to seek answers. It turned out that this was a collective decision made by the producers of this year’s Chinese new year films. For film companies, pre-sale sometimes also means competing with each other by offering massive discounts, which is not a healthy and win-win solution. Therefore, companies behind these Chinese New Year Films have reached a consensus that they will no longer fight for box office through vicious ticket subsidies during the Chinese New Year period. Shortening the pre-sale period will also help companies reduce publicity and marketing expenses. According to National Business Daily, Detective Chinatown 3, Lost in Russia, Leap, and The Rescue may start pre-sale simultaneously on January 17, or 14. Read more on National Business Daily
