The Construction of Subjectivity of Chinese Cinema: An Approach from the Reciprocality Between Chinese Films and International Criticism

Abstract

International film criticism reflects the current state of global reception of Chinese cinema and projects an orientalist imagination rooted in Western discourses. In this article, co-constructiveness refers to the reciprocal processes through which the development of Chinese cinema and international film criticism shape and influence each other amid cultural exchange and value conflicts. The dynamic impacts Chinese cinema’s creation orientations, dissemination strategies, international image, and the construction of its subjectivity. This study analyzes representative Chinese films from different periods through content analysis based on international film criticism, to interpret their critical focuses and aesthetic expectations. It further explores how international criticism frames Chinese cinema through an orientalist perspective, while Chinese cinema maintains its subjectivity through imitation and ultimately shifts from cultural insecurity to cultural confidence. Therefore, this article employs textual analysis and historical research methods to investigate the evolving relationship between Chinese cinema and international film criticism. The findings reveal that this mutual interaction fosters integration between Chinese and global film cultures. Fundamentally, such co-constructiveness signifies a transformation of Chinese cinema’s position in the global artistic and cultural order, from passively receiving evaluations to actively participating in shaping the rules and constructing its own subjectivity.