Middle Earth - China’s cultural industry podcast

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Recently, a Chinese film DEAR YOU (給阿嬤的情書 - 2026) broke the country box office. This historical / family / period drama was shot on a mere 14 million yuan budget ($2 million), and yet made over 1.8 billion yuan ($265 millions). But what’s interesting about that story is that it’s not so much about the money itself, or that the director was quite unknown ; it is that this story that spam from the end of 1940s to today is primary spoken in Teochew dialect. 

And those types of movies, alongside side any kind of cultural content for the matter, has a hard time finding its place in Chinese cultural consumption as there is a strong emphasis on using Putonghua. Yet, things are brewing.
Featuring
- LAM Can-zhao : Filmmaker
- Yaling JIANG : Consultant
- Sam Debell : Sea of Wood Records - Co-founder
To go further
- Middle Earth episode #102 Remote Creatives
- TWOC's series Fangyan Friday
- TWOC's article Speaking Up: Can Social Media Save China’s Dialects? by Chu Siyi
- TWOC's article Dongbei Survival Guide by Ginger Huang
- Yaling JIANG's recommendation : 
卖凉茶只狗 (A corgi who sells herbal tea)
 Giger Hu了 (Thighs are numb)
Middle Earth is made by China Compass Productions and hosted by Aladin Farré. If you have a China-themed cultural project, like shooting your next documentary, or are looking for a specific talent, please get in touch! 
Chinese speaker? Follow our Bilibili account 阿拉丁_说电影 or RedNote (阿拉丁说电影)
The World of Chinese Magazine
A magazine about Chinese society, culture, history, arts, language, and more.

Send us Fan Mail
18 months ago, we released our episode #99 examining how AI was being used in films, documentaries, and advertising. At the time, most of the more compelling AI-driven work was confined to short-form content. But Chinese content creator and storyteller are doing leapfrog on that area.

As AI tools advance rapidly, they are increasingly taking on more complex roles in filmmaking, including generating entire features and even documentaries. But as reliance on the technology grows, the industry is still grappling with unresolved ethical questions around consent and copyright.
Featuring
- CHEN Zhuo (Pax) : FizzDragon - Founder & CEO
- Tina JIA : Wing Sight - Founder & President
- FAN Lixin : Emmy Award Documentary & AI Filmmaker
To go further
- Middle Earth episode #99 How AI is disrupting China’s cultural industry
- TWOC's article Smart Earth: How AI Is Rewriting Rural China by Yang Tingting
- TWOC's article ChatGPT Gold Rush: How AI Business (and Crime) Is Taking Shape in China by Wang Jiawei
- Wing Sight's documentary series on iQIYI: Prominent Figures in Chinese History (华夏风云人物) (7x22')
- Wing Sight's official website | Wing Sight's Instagram | Wing Sight's Weibo 
Middle Earth is made by China Compass Productions and hosted by Aladin Farré. If you have a China-themed cultural project, like shooting your next documentary, or are looking for a specific talent, please get in touch! 
Chinese speaker? Follow our Bilibili account 阿拉丁_说电影 or RedNote (阿拉丁说电影)
The World of Chinese Magazine
A magazine about Chinese society, culture, history, arts, language, and more.
Poster credit:  Design by Wang Siqi; elements from Doubao AI
The World of Chinese Magazine
A magazine about Chinese society, culture, history, arts, language, and more.

Send us Fan Mail
China's building boom can now be declared over. Yet what awaits for the 940 million city dwellers living in Chinese cities?  
Featuring
- Éric LE KHANH : architect 
- LIU Jue (LJ) : managing editor at TWOC
- Jingqiu ZHANG: IARA - Co-founder & Architect
To go further
- Middle Earth episode #108 - The Memorabilia Economy: Why Some Can’t Stop Dreaming of the 90s
- Middle Earth episode #102 Remote Creatives
- TWOC's article Welcome to Liu York: Going with the Flow in China’s Chillest River City by Wang Lin (王琳)
- TWOC's article How Residential Renovation Became China’s New Urban Battleground by Tan Yunfei (谭云飞) & Liu Jue (刘珏)
- Éric LE KHANH 's work on the remains of Jin Zhongdu City (Jin dynasty - 12th century) at Tianjin University.
- Éric LE KHANH 's work on the Sino-French "Chengdu Eco-Quartier"
- Jinqiu ZHANG team's work in Chen Jiapu Village (陈家埔村).
- News report on CGTN about France-China Wuhan Eco-City.
Middle Earth is made by China Compass Productions and hosted by Aladin Farré. If you have a China-themed cultural project, like shooting your next documentary, or are looking for a specific talent, please get in touch! 
Chinese speaker? Follow our Bilibili account 阿拉丁_说电影 or RedNote (阿拉丁说电影)
The World of Chinese Magazine
A magazine about Chinese society, culture, history, arts, language, and more.
Poster credit : Wirestock on Freepik.com
The World of Chinese Magazine
A magazine about Chinese society, culture, history, arts, language, and more.

Send us Fan Mail
As the Cannes festival ends, we interviewed some key player regarding how the biggest film festival in the world impacts Chinese cinema.
Featuring
- Cao Liuying  : Parallax Films - Sales Agent
- Clément Magar : Fortissimo Films - General Manager
- Qu Zhizheng : Director & Cinematographer
To go further
- Middle Earth episode #44 Does China still make indie films?
Middle Earth is made by China Compass Productions and hosted by Aladin Farré. If you have a China-themed cultural project, like shooting your next documentary, or are looking for a specific talent, please get in touch! 
Chinese speaker? Follow our Bilibili account 阿拉丁_说电影 or RedNote (阿拉丁说电影)
The World of Chinese Magazine
A magazine about Chinese society, culture, history, arts, language, and more.

Send us Fan Mail
Nostalgia isn’t just a feeling—it’s also a powerful selling tool. Right as China's GDP growth slows and the future feels uncertain, consumers are increasingly drawn to products and stories that evoke the past. Whether it’s retro snacks or hit TV shows reviving bygone eras, some are tapping into a deep emotional connection.
Featuring
- Chu Dandan: TWOC - former editor-in-chief
- Yaling Jiang: Consultant
- Haoyue : Film Producer
To go further
- Middle Earth episode #54 What is the future of China’s animation industry?
- TWOC's article How to Talk About Box Office Performance Like a Pro by Aria Zhang
- TWOC's article  about Zong Qinghou ; The Beverage Company That Made China’s Richest Man by Tan Yunfei 
- Douyin Accounts about the 1980's : 阿牛小卖部 & 怀旧铺子
Middle Earth is made by China Compass Productions and hosted by Aladin Farré. If you have a China-themed cultural project, like shooting your next documentary, or are looking for a specific talent, please get in touch! 
Chinese speaker? Follow our Bilibili account 阿拉丁_说电影 or RedNote (阿拉丁说电影)
The World of Chinese Magazine
A magazine about Chinese society, culture, history, arts, language, and more.