For first-time film directors in China, the growing online film industry is the place to be. It is the world’s second-largest movie market, and, in spite of dismal growth in 2016, its online presence has been exponentially growing each year.

The biggest attraction was the lack of censorship. Until March 2017, online filmmakers were able to avoid the strict regulations applied to regular films.

However, a new film law has now been imposed, requiring filmmakers to submit scripts for approval and acquire a licence to distribute or screen their film, even on the internet. This was the first law in Chinese legislature to target the burgeoning online film industry, and also includes certain restriction and rules for foreign companies or their affiliates, who will have to gain government approval before publishing any content online.

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The Chinese government believes that anything published, online or otherwise, should serve the people and promote socialism.

But Chinese movie directors are undeterred. Seasoned filmmakers feel the new law won’t be a game changer and will, in fact, weed out the “crowd”. Liu Zhaohui, co-founder of Beijing Qishouyouyu Culture Media, told Reuters, “People who produce the best work are still able to make do with what we have. That is to say, they can dance with handcuffs on.”