The emotional construction of new mainstream movies from the perspective of localization

Abstract

Post-pandemic witnessed the domestic movies in the Chinese film industry continuously capture an expanding market share, which further made the domestic movies more familiar to audiences. On the other hand, however, greater popularity created more interest, and hence created more special expectation towards localization among audiences. Conceptualization of the local films' localization implies two vital conditions: Firstly, native feature films are to create a sense of sympathy for their people, and it is built upon the ability of the movies to answer the needs and challenges of modern society's reality and currents, yet achieving at the same time an inner integrity between the form and the content. Second, it is assumed that local films should be able to portray Chinese cultural identity in international terms, with the spiritual and philosophical underpinnings of Chinese society. With the industry's maturity, audience expectations and aesthetic tastes are also evolving. The question then is: Can new mainstream blockbusters regularly innovate in both form and thematic substance and adhere to a systematic logic of localization? This paper aims to explore how new mainstream films can achieve significant leaps in emotional building, adapting to shifting cultural trends and viewer demands through the lens of localization.