Abstract
Regarding piracy as the crime of stealing copyright holders’ rightful profits, many creative industries, such as the film, music, and gaming industries, are battling for stricter administrative and legal enforcement against copyright infringement. However, there is a counterargument that piracy could benefit copyright holders in the form of free promotion. Given China’s strict censorship of film content, this paper investigates how online piracy complicates the distribution of independent films in China. The advance of cyber technology and high-speed Internet access has not only fueled the spread of online film sharing, but has also encouraged public participation in the debate on the complex relationship between piracy, copyright, and censorship. Taking Jia Zhangke’s A Touch of Sin (2013) as a case study, this paper evaluates the alternative business models for Chinese independent cinema put forward by Chinese netizens.
Highlights
Regarding piracy as a crime of stealing copyright holders’ rightful profits, many creative industries, such as the film, music, and gaming industries, are battling for tough administrative and legal enforcement against copyright infringement
Jia did not respond to such payment proposals, those comments posted by his followers highlighted a key concern in Chinese independent cinema— how filmmakers could cope with tough censorship while protecting their copyright without breaking the law or compromising their voice of social critique under the current administrative framework
Under the current administration framework of censorship and copyright protection, Chinese independent cinema must be creative in searching for a business model in order to survive
Summary
Regarding piracy as a crime of stealing copyright holders’ rightful profits, many creative industries, such as the film, music, and gaming industries, are battling for tough administrative and legal enforcement against copyright infringement. The online piracy, the Chinese authority’s changing attitude, and the various public discourses (including news reports, interviews, and social media posts and comments) surrounding the release of A Touch of Sin revealed at least two complications of China’s media governance.
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