AMIA 2024

Unlike in the United States, China's film preservation efforts have long exhibited a centralized model. As a continuation of cultural control from the planned economy era, film preservation in China has been monopolized by a single institution, with minimal involvement from the private sector and academia. However, with the dissolution of the planned economy, the advancement of digital technology, the rise of private film collections, and the influence of educational film archive concepts from Taiwan, new forces are gradually emerging that may challenge this centralized model. This presentation aims to review and analyze the current state of film preservation in China, outlining the unique value and significance of a decentralized model in the contemporary Chinese context.