The post-1990 era has been labeled the "return of the amateur filmmaker" as state censorship policies after the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre produced an edgy underground film movement loosely referred to as the Sixth Generation. Owing to the lack of state funding and backing, these films were shot quickly and cheaply, using materials like 16 mm film and digital video and mostly non-professional actors and actresses, producing a documentary feel, often with long takes, hand-held cameras, and ambient sound; more akin to Italian neorealism and cinéma vérité than the often lush, far more considered productions of the Fifth Generation.Rose, S. "The great fall of China", The Guardian, 2002-08-01. Retrieved on 2007-04-28. Unlike the Fifth Generation, the Sixth Generation brings a more individualistic, anti-romantic life-view and pays far closer attention to contemporary urban life, especially as affected by disorientation, rebellion and dissatisfaction with China's contemporary social marketing economic tensions and comprehensive cultural background. Many were made with an extremely low budget (an example is Jia Zhangke, who shoots on digital video, and formerly on 16 mm; Wang Xiaoshuai's The Days (1993) was made for US$10,000). The title and subjects of many of these films reflect the Sixth Generation's concerns. The Sixth Generation takes an interest in marginalized individuals and the less represented fringes of society. For example, Zhang Yuan's hand-held Beijing Bastards (1993) focuses on youth punk subculture, featuring artists like Cui Jian, Dou Wei and He Yong frowned upon by many state authorities, while Jia Zhangke's debut film Xiao Wu (1997) concerns a provincial pickpocket. While many Fifth Generation filmmakers have become darlings of mainstream Chinese culture, Sixth Generation filmmakers have often experienced harsh treatment by the state's censorship and regulatory system, despite their success at international film festivals and arthouse markets.
the post-1990 era has been labeled the "return of the amateur filmmaker" as state censorship policies after the 1989 tiananmen square protests and massacre produced an edgy underground film movement loosely referred to as the sixth generation owing to the lack of state funding and backing these films were shot quickly and cheaply using materials like 16 mm film and digital video and mostly non-professional actors and actresses producing a documentary feel often with long takes hand-held cameras and ambient sound; more akin to italian neorealism and cinéma vérité than the often lush far more considered productions of the fifth generationrose s "the great fall of china" the guardian 2002-08-01 retrieved on 2007-04-28 unlike the fifth generation the sixth generation brings a more individualistic anti-romantic life-view and pays far closer attention to contemporary urban life especially as affected by disorientation rebellion and dissatisfaction with china's contemporary social marketing economic tensions and comprehensive cultural background many were made with an extremely low budget (an example is jia zhangke who shoots on digital video and formerly on 16 mm; wang xiaoshuai's the days (1993) was made for us$10000) the title and subjects of many of these films reflect the sixth generation's concerns the sixth generation takes an interest in marginalized individuals and the less represented fringes of society for example zhang yuan's hand-held beijing bastards (1993) focuses on youth punk subculture featuring artists like cui jian dou wei and he yong frowned upon by many state authorities while jia zhangke's debut film xiao wu (1997) concerns a provincial pickpocket while many fifth generation filmmakers have become darlings of mainstream chinese culture sixth generation filmmakers have often experienced harsh treatment by the state's censorship and regulatory system despite their success at international film festivals and arthouse markets