Sujet 2 - Partie 1 · Bac Anglais, monde contemporain Métropole Candidat libre 2021 (sujet 2)

Say what the documents reveal about the complex relationship between the American and Chinese film industries. Pay particular attention to their strengths and weaknesses in the competition between the two countries for global economic and cultural dominance.

Réponse : Sample Synthesis: The dossier, consisting of a bar chart from *The Economist* (Document A), an article from *The Atlantic* (Document B), and an academic paper by Giuseppe Richeri (Document C), explores the paradoxical interplay of collaboration and fierce rivalry between Hollywood and the burgeoning Chinese film industry. First, both industries are bound by an unprecedented economic interdependence. On the one hand, American studios are lured by the sheer scale of the Chinese market. As shown in Document C, Hollywood giants invest massively in China, setting up joint ventures (like Warner Bros.' Flagship Entertainment) and leisure infrastructure (Disney's $5.5 billion theme park in Shanghai). On the other hand, Chinese conglomerates actively invest in Hollywood: Dalian Wanda notably acquired AMC Entertainment in 2012 for$2.6 billion, capturing 17% of the US box office. However, foreign access to China remains strictly constrained by state quotas and mandatory Chinese majority partnerships. Second, this relationship highlights diverging priorities regarding soft power and cultural hegemony. While Hollywood has evolved into a commercially driven enterprise with minimal direct ties to Washington's ideological agenda, China views cinema as an essential geopolitical tool. As Document B argues, China seeks not only financial gain but also the technical expertise and storytelling talent needed to rival American global influence. To tap into this lucrative market, Hollywood has shown widespread willingness to appease Beijing's opaque and stringent censorship, compromising its traditional defense of free expression. Finally, the balance of power is shifting. Although Hollywood boasts unmatched global prestige, technological expertise, and international reach, Document A illustrates that it is visibly losing ground within China itself. In 2019, eight of the ten highest-grossing films in China were domestic productions (such as *Ne Zha* and *The Wandering Earth*), outpacing major American franchises. While China's heavy-handed censorship limits its films' worldwide appeal, its massive domestic market and acquisition of Hollywood know-how place it in a strong position to challenge American hegemony. In conclusion, Hollywood and the Chinese film sector are caught in an uneasy embrace: Hollywood relies on Chinese capital and moviegoers at the expense of creative freedom, while China absorbs American expertise to build a self-sufficient domestic powerhouse aiming for global cultural stature.