TV & film

tv-&-film

China’s Short-Drama Boom Calls for a New AI Crew

Timely reports on issues and events from across China. Drawing on a vast range of sources, these succinct articles provide insights into the significance of each issue in a wider context.

NEWS

AI is shrinking crews and production times while opening film jobs to workers trained in fields far beyond cinema.

Fan Yiying

China’s Summer Hit Recasts the Eight Immortals as Con Artists

The blockbuster animation “All Wishes Come True!” places Taoist legends in a fairyland where gods are assigned temples, ranked by incense offerings, and judged by KPIs.

He Qitong

The Many Lives of Chaoshan

SPECIAL PROJECTS

Once known mainly for its merchants and overseas networks, Chaoshan is back in the spotlight. This series examines how the region’s past and present offer insights into modern China.

Sixth Tone

Contributions from individuals with unique perspectives to share. Hear from everyone, from experts and commentators to those whose voices are often marginalized.

VOICES & OPINION

Cai Yiwen

All-Women ‘Shaolin Soccer’ Tribute Scores Big, Divides Fans

The film drew large audiences but disappointed those hoping for the heights of the Hong Kong action star’s past kung fu comedies.

The Chinese Story Behind Chaoshan’s Big Screen Moment

Once pushed to the margins, Chaoshan culture has become a symbol of China’s changing relationship with regional identity, tradition, and belonging.

Xu Zhenhua

A Yunnan Lake, Three Generations, and the Director in Between

Your questions, answered. In-depth interviews with the minds and makers shaping today’s China.

Q & A

Sixth Tone sits down with the director for an interview about how his life, and in particular, his relationship with his grandfather, helped shape the internationally acclaimed film.

Chen Yiru

At the Shanghai Film Festival, AI Gets Its Mainstream Break

The festival, one of the largest in Asia, has brought together AI content creators and traditional filmmakers to spur dialogue and collaborations around the latest technology.

Title Fight: China’s New TV Credit Rules Target Toxic Fandoms

To ease fandom and legal disputes, names will now be listed according to the number of brushstrokes in actors’ surnames.

Li Xin

Livestreamed Readings of Hit Chinese Novel Spark Copyright Debate

The recent TV adaptation of Chen Yan’s “The Protagonist” has inspired hosts to read the novel aloud during livestreams, potentially infringing on copyright.

Boy in the Frame: The Chinese Filmmaker Who Captured Luigi Mangione

Translations, cross-publications, and collaborative projects from Sixth Tone’s external partners. 

SIXTH TONE ×

A documentary director who set out to explore the lives of Chinese and American teens revisits unreleased footage of the murder suspect when he was 16.

Fir  Record

The Dream of the ’90s Is Alive on the Chinese Internet

Chinese dreamcore plays on millennial nostalgia. Why is it so effective?

Pan Zhixin

Handmade: Two Chinese Productions Go Viral for Skipping AI

The productions, made by two amateur teams using their own savings, have garnered hundreds of millions of views on domestic video platforms.

Jiang Xinyi

An Indie Drama About Leaving China Finds an Audience at Home

A film about the life, traditions, and emotional landscape of the Chaoshan region in southern China has struck a chord with viewers for its moving portrayal of local culture and familial bonds.

China and FIFA Face Off Over World Cup Broadcast Rights

The football association asked for a record $250 million from the country’s state-owned TV broadcasting company, with negotiations failing to bring the price down to what the network deemed acceptable.

China’s Latest Season of ‘Ride the Wind’ Goes Viral Due to Poor Performances, Drama

Marketed as a platform for female empowerment, the show casts famous women to compete to become part of a girl group. But its latest season is trending for different reasons.

‘The Dark Romance’: Chinese TV Series Spotlights Pickup Artists

The series is intended to raise awareness of psychological manipulation in relationships in China and alludes to several high-profile cases in the media.

China Issues Draft Regulations on AI Copyright Infringement

The draft comes amid growing pressure from the entertainment industry to combat “AI face stealing.”

Don’t Hit Paws: Chinese Tech Giant Launches 24/7 Channel for Pets

The channel is the latest instance of companies capitalizing on the nation’s 300-billion-yuan pet industry.

High Rankings of China’s ‘Pursuit of Jade’ Draw Skepticism

The show’s popularity on international and domestic streaming services, combined with polarized comments online, has led some to doubt its true popularity.