Kungfu Movies as Driver of China-Africa Cultural Exchanges: Case Study of Cameroon

Abstract

Study Focus: This article put forward the interest of African youngsters for Kungfu Movies, and then highlights the driver’s role and the cross-cultural communicative competences of Kungfu Movies in strengthening the cultural exchanges as well as boosting the China-Africa Movie Cooperation.

Methodology: The content of this paper relies on written documents from primary and secondary sources as well as on the author’s teaching experience and understanding of Chinese Kungfu in Cameroon. The primary sources include the author’s previous research and surveys conducted on 197 Cameroonian residents and fans of cinema in the cities of Douala, Yaounde and Bafoussam. Secondary sources include scientific journals and articles as well as official reports most of which are available online. Cameroon is used as case study.

Findings:

1) There has been a growing influence of Kungfu Movies in Africa since the late 1970s following the emergence of Bruce Lee, and this has positively shifted African audiences’ interest toward Chinese Kungfu.

2) The arrival of Chinese Kungfu masters in African countries the late 1980s has brought Kungfu from screens to real life, and therefore deepens African audiences’ understanding and appreciation of the Chinese Kungfu.

3) The concept “Kungfu” in the eyes of African audiences is often surrounded by misconceptions and this influences their expectations and appreciations of Kungfu movies.

4) The actual pattern of Sino-African Movie Cooperation is undermined by shortcomings and challenges; furthermore, the “Sino-African movies” made until now are far from meeting the people’s needs and expectations.

Conclusion and Recommendations: Base on the findings, the article suggests a new approach for the China-Africa Movie Cooperation, namely the “Sino-African Kungfu Movies”. This new approach will aim at adapting Kungfu Movies in the Sino-African cultural context by associating Some African martial arts styles, traditional wrestling and war dances with Chinese martial arts styles, and so come up with an innovative style of Sino-African actions movies” in which Africans and Chinese will work together for the common prosperity of their cultures.

Keywords: Kungfu Movies；China-Africa Cultural Exchanges；Sino-African Kungfu Movies；Cameroon;