Exploring The NEW FILM —A Study On The Realism In Zhang Nuanxin’s Films

This thesis focuses on the realism in Zhang Nuanxin’s films, discusses Zhang’s filmmaking practices and the inner links between social realities since the New Period: on one hand, Zhang’s films expressed her observation, thinking and response to the social changes; on the other hand, these observations, thinking and responses somehow influenced and determined her cinematic expressions, formed the strong realism style in her films. In this thesis’perspective, the "NEW FILM" art form that Zhang has being exploring, was her practice in realism filmmaking; her overall grasp on film theories and film creations, and her continuous target of "do not repeat the others, do not repeat oneself" , especially her continuous thinking and exploring in the distinctiveness of Chinese film aesthetics, not only created the values of her filmmaking practices, but also provided a historical and cultural context for us to trace the change of realism in Chinese cinema since the New Period. Therefore, when reviewing the history of Zhang’s films, this research also tries to use it as a clue to discus the development, change and dilemma of Chinese film realism between 1976 and 1995. The research methods borrows the author/director research structure, instead of following the common methods of using theme or keyword to analyze the writer’s works, pay more attention to the historical observation over Zhang’s realism films, hoping to set up a link between film research and history research, to discuss Zhang’s films as well as the social changes and development of Chinese cinema since the New Period in the realm of culture research. Therefore, the chapters are arranged according to Zhang’s filmmaking practices in realism films:Chapter one is the introduction, introduces Zhang’s filmmaking practices and current relevant researches, explains the importance of re-discuss Zhang’s film realism. Chapter two discusses the realism aesthetics at the beginning of the New Period, analyses Zhang’s early film exploring, discusses how the socialist realism creating principal was developed. Chapter three is a case study on Sacrifice of Youth, compares the film with the original novel, explains how the film uses realism to surpass realism in terms of aesthetics, and discusses the subjectivity of the protagonist in the film, and response to the discussion over self-consciousness inside cultural circles in mid-1980s. Chapter four is a case study on the film Good Morning, Beijing, discusses how this masterpiece represented director’s observation and thinking of the everyday lives in the turn of 1980s to 1990s. Chapter five is a case study on films The Story of Yunnan and South China 1994, analyses her dilemma and efforts in filmmaking in the new social reality and cinema environment. Overall, the research attempts to discuss the change of the realism in Chinese cinema, therefore, Chapter two can be considered as the conclusion to this discussion, and Chapter three and Chapter four focus on individuals (Typical Characters) and society (Typical Environment) as the two wings of the issue, and Chapter five is the discussion on its crisis.