Chollywood On Set

Contemporary Issues, first prize stories

September 26, 2014

On the set of one of the year’s major co-productions, a sci-fi movie by Chinese director Lu Chuan.

The Chinese film industry is booming, and China already forms Hollywood’s largest export market. The Chinese Ministry of Culture and rich local investors see the industry as an instrument of soft power. Films made in China can shape how the country is viewed abroad, as well as uphold traditional values at home. For its part, and in order to circumvent restrictions in China that permit the screening of only 34 foreign films annually, Hollywood has embarked on major co-productions with Chinese studios. In these films, additional characters may be introduced, and scenes tailored, to meet the tastes and censorship requirements of the Chinese market.

Location: Hengdian, Dongyang, Jinhua, Zhejiang Province, China

Photo Credit: Guilio di Sturco

Giulio di Sturco, Italy, currently divides his time between Milan and New Delhi. He studied photography at the European Institute of Design and Visual Arts in Rome and has covered North-American and the South-East Asian issues for such publications as L'espresso, Vanity Fair, Io Donna, Time, The Daily Telegraph magazine and Geo. Since 2008 he has worked in collaboration with organizations such as Greenpeace, MSF, WHO and Action Aid. In 2009 Giulio joined the VII Mentor Program. His awards include a World Press Photo first prize, as well as first prizes in the Sony Photography Awards, and the British Journal of Photography International Photography Awards.