Comments on: Why is China so interested in the Palm Springs Int’l Film Festival? A theory, and some context, from a regular attendee.

By: Flannery O'Connor

Flannery O'Connor — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 01:51:34 +0000

Palm Springs is hot enough with Socal/AZ/Vegas hipsters and the gay crowd that they won’t miss a few Chinese tourists. I am a bit familiar with P.S., but I am much more familiar with the Chinese tours that barrel across the land. I can say that most of the tourists money go into a few restaurants that are probably nowhere near Palm Springs “come hither” district, and they tend to lodge the tourists in budget motels and hotels, probably out in Palm Desert or one of those tiny, dreary little satellites, perhaps one even on the way out to Joshua Tree.

I could never figure out why Palm Springs would show up on Chinese tour trips, but they try to hit as many places as possible in a short time, so maybe logistically it fits in?

Palm Springs has a decent thing going with the dayhikes, the clubs, boutiques, and the obscene, decadent golf monuments to arrogance and waste. Perhaps the Springs could become popular with Chinese tour groups of a very specific demographic.

I imagine that most Chinese tourists never even see much of Palm Springs as they are in their rooms by nightfall… probably just as well, that’s not the… ummm… “Americana” that they want to see anyway, lol.

And Joshua Tree is overrated except as a place to get smoked out and stare into the ether.

By: nanheyangrouchuan

nanheyangrouchuan — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 19:54:55 +0000

This is the PRC’s attempt to enforce absolute conformity to its twisted belief of “all under heaven”.

China is a bad country.

By: Adam

Adam — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 02:54:16 +0000

Sue Anne – Your comment made me laugh out loud … and suggests that you’re familiar with the Cabazon Outlet Mall on I-10. An excellent point.

By: Sue Anne

Sue Anne — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 01:58:36 +0000

Two words, Adam. Outlet shopping. That is a driver for many government delegations. Any good organisational host would factor that in when planning a travelling schedul for visiting entities from China.

By: dace

dace — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 01:40:12 +0000

Sounds familiar – just like the diplomatic ‘war’ that the Chinese govt started by decreeing that Chinese movies had to pull out of the Melbourne film festival last year because a Xinjiang movie would be shown…suprisingly even HK and TW movies toed the line, I guess so they wouldn’t lose money in the mainland. I stil fail to see how China can moan and complain about foriegn countries “interfering in China’s affairs” all the time, yet when they demand that movies showing differing points of view are shown overseas, then demand they be pulled, or even call in ambassadors and demand an explanation. I guess they only see double standards as being in force when China is on the receiving end.

By: Debbie

Debbie — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 20:21:34 +0000

Thanks for covering this.

By: bill rich

bill rich — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:49:39 +0000

Sounds like Chinese tourists is not as important as integrity. Nice to know that there are still people who can’t be intimidated or bought. Of course, this is something that will go over the heads of Chinese, way over their heads.

By: uk visa

uk visa — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 10:54:56 +0000

We watched Tibet fall and terrible measures such as ‘indoctrination through impregnation’, the starvation of tens of thousands after the Chinese banned the growing of Barley (knowing that grain does not grow at high altitudes) and there’s a good chance Nepal will be next.
Would that Google, etc. did the right thing like Palm Springs International Film Festival organisers and not cave to a little pressure.

By: Kev

Kev — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 10:12:48 +0000

I appreciate the gratuitous Sonny Bono mention but I thinkyou’re pulling your punches here in not making the obvious conclusion. If Palm Springs wants Chinese tourists and films it better learn to keep its mouth shut about Tibet and other issues that upset the Chinese Consulate, end of story. Tow the line just like google and US companies that want to do biz in the mainland.