A Study of the Relationship between New Mainstream Chinese Cinema and the Chinese Cultural Identity of the Youth in Hong Kong

Abstract

This paper mainly explores the impact of new mainstream Chinese cinema on the Youth in Hong Kong's cultural identity. "Do Hong Kong youth deconstruct the messages conveyed by the new mainstream Chinese cinema when they watch it? Does the film medium strengthen and weaken the Youth in Hong Kong's cultural identity, and thus affect the Youth in Hong Kong's own identity?". In order to measure and analyze it, this paper constructs a model of the influence of the film medium on identity, in which we use the concept of ethnic identity salience which is highly relevant to cultural identity. Furthermore, we propose four themes (variables) that can measure ethnic identity salience, namely ethnic identity, achieving ethnic identity, ethnic practices, and orientation towards intra-ethnic membership. Under this model, the medium of film affects the four themes of ethnic identity, achievement of ethnic identity, ethnic practices, and orientation towards intra-ethnic membership simultaneously, thus influencing the degree of ethnic identity salience and hence the identity of the Youth in Hong Kong. This paper adopts an experimental method to measure people's ethnic identity salience before and after viewing the film.