Films in China Reflect Nationalistic Attitudes in the Communist Country

In a groundbreaking announcement, Chinese filmmakers have decided to create a movie that puts an end to the silence surrounding the Nanjing massacre of 1937, a hushed event in Chinese history where at least 150,000 civilians were slaughtered by the Japanese military in the former Chinese capital.

Both directors, Yim Ho and Lu Chuan, have had a difficult time receiving approval from the Chinese government for their separate film plans. According to the notable Yim, his script for the 2001 Pavilion of Women was first rejected by China's Film Bureau before getting approved on the second try. Lu's film, Nanking Nanking, took five months to receive approval.

"The process was more tense than usual. It was more complicated than usual," Lu said, reflecting the sensitivity surrounding the massacre in the Chinese imagination. According to the Associated Press, the government's handling of the films represents the desire to promote nationalism and promote the Chinese Communist Party, as well as promoting positive relations with Japan, which is economically important to the Chinese people.