Why aren’t Chinese films travelling to international festivals?

Chinese cinema is conspicuous by its absence at this year’s Cannes film festival, with only a few short films announced across the official selection and parallel sections. Directors Fortnight said last week that the Asian “surprise film” that it was hoping to announce, was a Chinese film, that it has now confirmed will not be ready in time for this year’s edition. Last year, there were also no Chinese films in Cannes main competition, although Wei Shujun’s Ripples of Life premiered in Directors Fortnight and Na Jiazuo’s Streetwise was selected by Un Certain Regard.

Li Ruijun’s soulful portrait of provincial China, Return To Dust, premiered at this year’s Berlin film festival and has since been sold widely by German sales agent M-Appeal. Rotterdam film festival has long been a supporter of new independent Chinese cinema, and this year screened Gao Linyang’s To Love Again. But overall, the number of Chinese films playing in major festivals has declined substantially over the past few ye…