Chinese Cinema in Spain

Abstract

This chapter presents an overview of the history of the translation of Chinese films in Spain, covering from the first screening of a Chinese film back in the early 1970s until 2021. According to our data, in this time span, more than 1,000 Chinese films have reached Spain. In order to provide empirical quantitative data, we have created an online open access database of all the Chinese films that have been translated and screened in Spain. It contains data on the original films and their translations into Spanish or other official languages, such as Catalan. This database allows for an in-depth quantitative study of the translation and distribution channels, which is completed with a qualitative analysis of the most recent trends regarding selection and distribution, based on the results obtained from five interviews with key agents in this area.