Reflections on Transitional Society through Marginal Figures in the Films of China’s Sixth Generation Directors

Abstract

There is a controversial situation for Sixth Generation directors in China that their films are celebrated by international film festivals, but the majority of them are banned domestically. Their films deeply reflect and critique the transitional era of China, moving from socialist society with planned economy to postsocialist society with market economy. This article examines two representative films—Jia Zhangke’s Xiao Wu (1998) and Lou Ye’s Suzhou River (2000)—to analyse the shared characteristics of Sixth Generation directors. Despite differing in style, with Jia’s film perceived as documentary-like and Lou’s as melodramatic, both directors highlight societal flaws and class polarization. Through detailed analysis of the film contents and filming strategies, author argues that both directors critique current societal issues, show sympathy for the marginal and express nostalgia for traditional moral standards, which make their work contentious to Chinese authority.