Research On The Identity Of Chinese Directors In Hollywood Since The 1990s

For more than a century since the development of the film industry,Hollywood has become the center of the global film industry.In Hollywood,the whites occupy the dominant position while the Asians have long been marginalized.The Asians directors did not have the opportunity to make their own voice until they got remarkable achievements in Hollywood in 1990 s.However as the minority in Hollywood,the Chinese director's is inevitably impacted by the powerful heterogeneous culture.Therefore,for Hollywood Chinese directors,the identity is an important issue accompanying their career.This paper focus on the issue of identity of Chinese directors in Hollywood.More specifically,the problem involves two aspects.One is the identity confusion of the Hollywood Chinese directors,the other is the identity appeal projected by Chinese directors in the film.The research objects of this paper include two groups of the Hollywood Chinese directors: directors of 1990 s which is represented by Ang Lee,Wayne Wang and John Woo,and the new generation of Chinese directors like Justin Lin,James Wan and Jonathan Murray Chu,to explore their identity consciousness and the identity projected in the film.With regard to the film text,to a large extent,the identity confusion of the characters in a director's film is also a reflection of the director's own experience and thinking.As for the director himself,they are of Chinese origin and belong to Chinese directors.But at the same time,they are in Hollywood which locates in the western world.In order to get the recognition of the mainstream market,they must to move close to the western mainstream ideology.Therefore,the identity consciousness of Chinese directors in Hollywood is contradictory.A fore mentioned two types of Hollywood Chinese directors have different characteristics in the issue of identity.Under the influence of Chinese culture from childhood,the Chinese directors of 1990 s have deeper connection to the Oriental culture.Therefore,the pursuit and struggle for “identity” is stronger for them.In the contrast,the most of the new generation of Hollywood Chinese directors are second-generation American born Chinese.Therefore,they do not show a strong cultural fetter,and even accept the mixed identity.In nowadays globalized environment,it becomes an important cultural issue that how to export Chinese culture to the whole world under the condition of maintaining our own cultural stand.This paper will focus on Chinese directors in the 1990 s and new generations of Chinese directors.Through research on directors and their works,they will trace their identity and cultural identity changes.