Micro-Drama Madness

Why is this ultra-short form of storytelling so addictive?

TV

Podcast | How China’s Micro-Dramas Spread At Home and Abroad

What‘s it like working in China’s micro-drama industry as producers and apps spread the ultrashort format abroad?

STREET TALK

Short, Absurd, and Addictive: Welcome to the Micro-Drama Nation

Micro-dramas have taken China by storm, attracting views through over-the-top content and the promise of thought-free entertainment

ENTERTAINMENT

High Stakes in Short Takes: China’s Booming Micro-Drama Business

Insider anxiety, regulatory scrutiny, and widespread criticism challenge the micro-drama industry in sustaining its billion-dollar saga

Screening Society

How recent Chinese cinema reflects social issues

FILM

China’s New Box Office Hit Brings Laughs, but Not Heart

In a bid to appease the demand for a “true comedy,” “Successor” has won over audiences with its wit and humor, but falls short in humanizing the hardships faced by children growing up in Chinese households

FILM

A New Movie Takes Aim at China’s Corporate Culture

“Johnny Keep Walking!” has struck a chord with young Chinese workers who relate to its biting satire of pointless bureaucracy, lazy bosses, and the tradition of annual galas at Chinese companies

FILM

Can a Comedy Film Combat Online Defamation?

Acclaimed for its focus on cyber bullying and online rumors, the film “Post Truth” courts controversy for its shallow view on the surging social issue

Recent Highlights

A glimpse at the films and TV shows captivating viewers today

China’s Most Talked About Summer Movies (So Far)

China’s Summer Box Office Rebounds (Slightly) After Rocky Start

China’s Small-Screen Scene-Stealers of 2025 (So Far)

Holiday Haze: Four Chinese Films That Pierced the Labor Day Fog

The Year in Chinese Cinema: Movies of 2024

China’s Most Talked About Summer Movies (So Far)

China’s Summer Box Office Rebounds (Slightly) After Rocky Start

China’s Small-Screen Scene-Stealers of 2025 (So Far)

Holiday Haze: Four Chinese Films That Pierced the Labor Day Fog

The Year in Chinese Cinema: Movies of 2024

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Women in Focus

How female perspectives are reshaping Chinese cinema and TV

FILM

Like a Rolling Stone: A Stirring Meditation on Womanhood and Defiance

Based on the true story of Su Min, China’s latest box office hit reflects on the quiet endurance of generations of women and questions whether leaving is the end—or just the first step toward reclaiming independence

FILM

Fate of the Moonlight: Three Generations of Women in the Crack Between City and Countryside

Qin Tian’s award-winning film exposes the growing pains of Chinese urbanization through the lens of gender

FILM

Nü Perspectives: Striving for Better Female Characters on Chinese Screens

The quiet endurance of generations of women raises questions about whether leaving marks an end—or the first step toward reclaiming independence

Pages to Pictures

From timeless classics to celebrated sci-fi works, a look at the successes and pitfalls of literary adaptations

Three-Body Conundrum: Why Liu Cixin’s Trilogy Defies Adaptation

Red Alert: The Challenge of Bringing a Chinese Classic to Screen

The Chang Trap: Why Eileen Chang’s Writing Rarely Works on the Big Screen

Why 1980s Hong Kong Novels Still Dominate Chinese Screens

How many Journeys to the West have you seen?

Three-Body Conundrum: Why Liu Cixin’s Trilogy Defies Adaptation

Red Alert: The Challenge of Bringing a Chinese Classic to Screen

The Chang Trap: Why Eileen Chang’s Writing Rarely Works on the Big Screen

Why 1980s Hong Kong Novels Still Dominate Chinese Screens

How many Journeys to the West have you seen?

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Past in Motion

Tracing the birth and evolution of Chinese cinema

MODERN HISTORY

Long Shadows

How China’s first film studios sparked a golden age of cinema in 1920s and 30s Shanghai

FILM

How New China’s Movie Industry Began in the Northeast

Changchun Film Studio went from puppet-state propaganda to the beating heart of Chinese film

MODERN HISTORY

30 Years of Kissing in Chinese Cinema and Society

From controversial kiss scenes in movies to stolen trysts by the riverbank, here’s how China rediscovered kissing

Local Voices

Evolving regional and ethnic identities on China’s screen

FILM

Picturing Xinjiang on the Big Screen

From cosmopolitan pictures to musical tourism advertisements, the Tianshan Film Studio once galvanized filmmaking in Xinjiang, but now struggles to regain its way

FILM

Left in the Dust: Shaking Rural Cliches in Films on Northwest China

Can films and literature from the Northwest shake their strong association with rural subjects?

FILM

Remembering Pema Tseden, a Giant of Filmmaking

After the sudden passing of the Tibetan filmmaking pioneer, young filmmakers across ethnicities remember his talent and his mentorship

Documenting China

The filmmakers and stories shaping Chinese documentaries

FILM

Documenting the First Blind Asian to Summit Everest

The 2023 documentary “Invisible Summit” tells the epic story of the first blind Asian person to summit Everest

FILM

Consent, Camera, Action: Navigating Documentary Ethics in China

Careless practices and low media literacy have put both participants and filmmakers at risk when making documentaries

FILM

Telling the Story of the Titanic's Chinese Survivors

Steven Schwankert talks to TWOC about his documentary 'The Six' and the lost history of Chinese passengers on the Titanic