The film law is here! Is the rating system far behind?

From its drafting in 2003 to its first review by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on October 30 this year, the "Film Industry Promotion Law" has finally come out after much anticipation. Finally, the film industry will also be highly protected by legislation. This law may completely subvert the existing film industry and rewrite the ecology of the Chinese film industry, and the viewing habits of ordinary audiences may also change accordingly. Once the legislation is officially enacted, the "Film Law" will be the highest standard for the film industry, and other regulations and provisions must also abide by the principles and scope it defines.

Judging from the draft that has been released so far, investors will be the most affected. After the Film Law is issued, the market threshold for film investment will be lowered, and all kinds of capital will be able to enter the film industry. In addition, since local governments will adopt financial, tax, financial, and land support measures to encourage enterprises, individual businesses, and individuals to engage in film activities, we can foresee the vigorous development of domestic films in the future.

However, looking at the domestic animation industry that has been supported, the "Heroes of Qi Jiguang", which is said to have invested 12 million yuan and is included in the "Ningbo Art and Literature Project", has been made to flash level with tens of millions of funds, and the fact that it has been refreshed offline is still vivid in our memory. Everyone knows how many "political achievement projects" will be produced by the film industry that has been specifically supported under the intervention of local governments in pursuit of political achievements.

Of course, I am not satirizing how bad this film law is. Everything has its pros and cons. The film law abolishes the "Film Production Permit" and cancels the review of general-themed film scripts. The scope of "general themes" has been expanded, and the means of expression of general commercial films will no longer be restricted. The freedom of film creation has been increased, which will help improve the quality of domestic films.

Compared with the past, some things that were verbally prohibited have been explicitly written into the law. Filmmakers must be more cautious in self-censorship than before, and bad films and thunder films will be curbed at the source. On the other hand, independent films and student films may not have the chance to see the audience, and it is also illegal to directly participate in overseas film exhibitions without approval.

The censorship of finished films has also become relatively strict. In the past, the General Administration directly reviewed them, but now it has become a double review by the local authorities first and then the General Administration. Just like TV dramas, in order to ensure stability and avoid mistakes, local officials may be more strict in their review than the General Administration.

For ordinary audiences, the impact of the film law may be more direct - you may not be able to see unimported films on the Internet in the future. On the other hand, since it has become easier to invest in a film, creators will be more motivated. Domestic films will become "easy to enter and difficult to exit".

Online dramas will be censored, and those broadcast on the Internet will also be censored. The Film Law stipulates that "films that have not obtained a "Film Public Screening Permit" may not be distributed, screened, or participate in film festivals (exhibitions), may not be disseminated through the Internet, telecommunications networks, radio and television networks, and other information networks, and may not produce audio-visual products" - a seemingly insignificant but actually extremely important clause - if the Film Law is passed and implemented, the "Film Public Screening Permit" will become the most fundamental prerequisite for whether a film can be "released to the public."

Simply put, all movies on the Internet must obtain a "Film Screening License", otherwise it is illegal.

Chinese films finally have laws to follow, a qualitative change from no laws to laws. In this sense, this is definitely progress. The strengthened protection of film copyrights is even more gratifying. Perhaps in the near future, abolishing censorship and implementing a rating system will be possible.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.