As for the condemnation and indignation that Zhao Ting’s online actions and words have aroused on the mainland, it is really a piece of cake for the Chinese Communist Party, which has become a sophisticated manipulator of public opinion.
Zhao Ting’s “Land of the Unwanted” (also known as “Nomadic Life“) has won a series of world-class film awards, including the Golden Globe Award for Best Director and Best Picture in the Drama category. Chinese Internet opinion was abuzz with enthusiastic praise and even praise, wrapped in a little pink patriotic passion, filling the public opinion arena as far as the eye could see. However, a drop of water can instantly freeze the boiling sea, and this incredible phenomenon has appeared again on the mainland: some people searched the Internet and found Zhao Ting’s previous comments, saying in a media interview that “China is full of lies”, so the boiling praise immediately disappeared, and the crusade to raise the patriotic banner was difficult to present a sword and blood. The film was scheduled to be released on the mainland on April 23, but it is said that it is likely to be unpredictable and stillborn. At least the Mainland’s enthusiasm for Zhao Ting disappeared instantly, and Douban.com also pulled all publicity for “Land of the Unwanted”.
Zhao Ting is obviously very happy and concerned about the possibility of her work being performed on the mainland, and she has made a special Chinese video to announce that her film will be staged on April 23 in China. But Zhao Ting’s frank and outspoken speech seven years ago has become a hidden lightning that could explode at any moment, and if it does, her wish to enter the mainland market will not only be shattered, but the door may also be closed forever in the future. Now Douban has pulled all publicity for Zhao Ting’s films, and rumors of a ban on her performances on the mainland are rampant, with Pinkie Pie even putting Zhao Ting on a blacklist of those who will be killed. However, the Chinese authorities have not yet explicitly banned Zhao Ting’s film, so whether or not her film will eventually land depends on the outcome of the game played by all parties.
Of course, Zhao Ting is very eager for the film to be released, as evidenced by the fact that two months ago, Zhao Ting removed all of her candid statements and information about being an American from the Internet. Growing up on the mainland, Zhao Ting was clearly aware that what she posted on the Internet would offend the Chinese Communist Party and would be detrimental to her hopes of getting her work on the mainland, and she apologized by removing it from the Internet. But such a subtle gesture is not enough to make Pinky stop talking, or to make the CCP play deaf and dumb and let her go. Perhaps a move like CCTV’s admission of guilt is the only way to meet the standard of rehabilitation in the eyes of the CCP, so that a little sweetness can be given to make her feel the great imperial grace of both grace and power. But with Zhao Ting’s character and the need for dignity and face, can she paint her previous candid and outspoken persona with untrue flattery?
As Zhao Ting is looking forward to the film’s landing, the film’s Gold producer and the lobbyists in the U.S. film industry who are pushing for the landing are also looking forward to and pushing for it. The expectations of the film’s owner-producer need not be explained, a small production of five million dollars if the film in the mainland, will have greatly exceeded the production costs of the box office. Although this film is not a popular film that the mainland audience flocked to, but to win the world’s prestigious and important awards, and the winner is a mainland background lady who can catch up with Ang Lee and previously received a lot of publicity and touting, in the mainland’s horrible patriotic rendering atmosphere, even a million people pay money into the theater is possible. As for the American Film and Television industry to lobby the mainland help, has been committed to promote the famous American producer Fenton has published a book explicitly, in order to land American films, Hollywood is the Chinese Communist Party will feed what they want. Fenton’s only complaint or even threat is that the CCP’s requirements and restrictions on the content of films have gone beyond censorship in the mainland. What with Japan, Korea, Europe and even the United States, the CCP also requires that the content of the film be released as it was released on the mainland, i.e., content that has been vetted by the CCP. But Fenton still believes that there is no problem as long as this censorship is only in the mainland.
On the mainland, the circle of Zhao Ting’s rich and famous relatives who are eagerly awaiting the release of Zhao Ting’s film are not the only ones. One only has to look at Song Dan Dan’s overjoyed online posts to see how eagerly they are looking forward to the film’s landing. The power of Zhao Ting’s circle of Family and friends on the mainland should not be underestimated. Her biological father was the general manager of Beijing Capital Steel Company before he retired, which is above the vice-ministerial level in the Chinese Communist Party’s official ranking system; Zhao Ting’s stepmother Song Dandan has been immersed in the mainland show business for decades; and Song Dandan’s brother was the vice governor of Shanxi Province more than a decade ago. This suggests that Zhao Ting’s relatives should have a network of connections and power in both the bureaucratic and acting circles on the mainland. Of course, if political issues are involved, which the Chinese Communist Party regards as a lifeline, the circle of relatives would not be able to pry the door open for Zhao Ting, but would be afraid to clear the air to protect themselves. The problem is that Zhao Ting has only told a few truths, and the nationalist sentiment on the mainland is just a fear-fueled sensationalism that is still difficult for the society to face before forming the spice for the small pink clamor, which the CCP may ignore as long as the political considerations outweigh the disadvantages.
To the CCP, Zhao Ting is still of some use. Zhao Ting is already the most influential Chinese director in the world after Ang Lee, and with the buzz in international show business and the possibility of more awards and even an Oscar, Zhao Ting’s influence in the world of film and television is on the rise. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has always used fame, fortune, and various kinds of demagoguery against influential celebrities, especially global celebrities, and has done everything possible to enlist the world famous director Ang Lee. But Zhao Ting’s mainland experience and kinship background undoubtedly have a stronger appeal to the Chinese Communist Party’s desire to try for years and what they think is possible. Zhao Ting’s film “Land of the Unwanted” is also a good material for the CCP’s political propaganda. “Land of the Unwanted” is about the hardships of the marginalized people in American society who are living on the edge of their lives after their families have changed drastically and they have lost their jobs, and they are wandering around with their cars as their homes. The work is about the dark side of American life and has received the endorsement of major world awards, which is what the Chinese Communist Party needs most to promote the dark side of America.
As for the condemnation and indignation that Zhao Ting’s online actions and words have aroused on the mainland, it is really a piece of cake for the Chinese Communist Party, which has become a sophisticated manipulator of public opinion. While Mao Zedong’s “White Specialists” were similar to counter-revolutionary labels, Chen Jingrun was praised by international mathematics experts as the man who pushed Goldbach’s Conjecture, and there were rumors that he was a typical “White Specialist,” which Jiang Qing sternly reprimanded Jiang Qing sternly reprimanded: If anyone attacked Chen Jingrun as a “white specialist”, he was a modern traitor and counter-revolutionary. So mainland public opinion instantly changed its tune and sang Chen Jingrun’s praises. As we can see, the righteous indignation is just a bubble of noise, which will dissipate after the Chinese Communist Party exerts pressure or makes up some scenes. Therefore, whether or not Zhao Ting’s “Land of the Unwanted” will be performed in mainland China is totally irrelevant to the public condemnation of mainland society today, but depends on how the money interests and political parties play the game.
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