Dahufa

Dahufa (director Bu Sifan) is widely known as China’s “first rated film”, even though China continues to not have an age-based classification for movies. Despite this, Dahufa’s producers advertised the film using the Motion Picture Association of America’s PG-13 rating. Promotional materials that included the rating, including the trailer and posters as well as the filmmakers’ commentary, were described by Dahufa’s head of publicity as demonstrating “a sense of responsibility to our audience” (in Sixth Tone 2017). From 1 March 2017, China’s new Film Industry Promotion Law has required that international films that might attract minors but which are inappropriate for them contain a warning at points of sale, however this is not a requirement for Chinese films. While Dahufa certainly contains violent content and adult themes that could warrant a rating above general exhibition in other contexts, commentators have suggested the proactive labelling was also used to generate publicity, alongside continuing debates in China about Internet censorship and the possible introduction of a film ratings system.

After low-key box-office takings on its first weekend, the Communist Youth League (CYL) published a scathing critique of Dahufa. It accused the animated film of including “evil intentions” in providing a veiled critique of the Chinese government (Cain 2017). The allegorical nature of Dahufa is easily evident, and thus its certification by the State Administration of Press, Publications, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT) is somewhat surprising. The film follows a young warrior of the Yiwei Kingdom whose search for a lost prince brings him to Peanut Village. The peanut-headed locals, who lack eyes and mouths, live in a submissive state under the threatening surveillance of intimidating guards. Ticket sales improved significantly following the CYL critique, which was extensively criticised online, generating interest in a film that many thought would not remain in cinemas for very long. – Liam Grealy

Further reading:
– Sixth Tone. (2017). Animated Film “Dahufa” entices audiences with content warning. China Film Insider. 14 July. http://chinafilminsider.com/animated-film-dahufa-entices-audiences-content-warning/
– Cain, R. (2017). Chinese Communists lash out at yet another cartoon, calling it “subversive” to the state. Forbes. 20 July. https://www.forbes.com/sites/robcain/2017/07/20/chinese-communists-lash-out-at-yet-another-cartoon-calling-it-subversive-to-the-state/#7bc3d0a45143