Translation: Film Regulator's Order to Promote Lei Feng Flops

On Thursday, March 7, 2013, the state-sponsored Global Times published a report entitled "Despite Orders Lei Feng Films Bomb." Some excerpts:

Films about the life of Lei Feng, a role model for selflessness in China, showed no box-office appeal on Tuesday, Lei Feng Day. 

The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) said on Monday that all film companies and cinemas need to try their best to promote three recently released  movies featuring the iconic Lei Feng.
. . . .
The three films about Lei Feng's life, Youthful Days, The Sweet Smile, and Lei Feng in 1959, were screened on Monday and Tuesday, as part of the learning from Lei Feng activities.
Tuesday marked the 50th anniversary of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong's call for the country to learn from Lei Feng. Mao's famous slogan stirred generations of do-gooders.
Lei was a young soldier known for his selfless devotion to helping others, he died at age 21 in 1962.
"We planned to show Youthful Days twice a day from Monday, but had to cancel all of the screenings as nobody showed up to buy tickets," a staff member surnamed Liu, at a box office of a cinema in Liaocheng, Shandong Province, told the Global Times Wednesday.
. . . .
"I think the poor box office result doesn't mean society has forgotten the spirit of Lei Feng, because you can still see a lot of people doing good deeds, such as getting involved in charity and volunteer work," Zhang Yiwu, professor and deputy director of the Cultural Resources Research Center of Peking University, told the Global Times.

Here is a translation of the SARFT order:

Notice Regarding Carrying Out Distribution and Screening of "Lei Feng's Youthful Days," "Lei Feng's Sweet Smile," and "Lei Feng in 1959" 

1. Carrying out the distribution and screening of "Lei Feng's Youthful Days," "Lei Feng's Sweet Smile," and "Lei Feng in 1959" is a concrete expression of implementing the Spirit of the 18th Party Congress, and all Radio, Film and Television Administrations and related film enterprises shall fully appreciate this important duty, bear in mind their responsibilities, painstakingly plan, and do everything possible to make use of the ability of film to teach through entertainment so that the entire society can create a new surge of study of Comrade Lei Feng and create a good cultural environment and atmosphere. In order to expand the audiences for screening, actively expand the social impact of the moive, and ensure the movie's ability to eductate, guide, and impel, you shall use multiple methods such as screenings in theaters, booking groups, and travelling screenings in the countryside. 

2. All distribution companies and theaters shall actively formulate plans for propaganda, distribution, and screenings, and provide copies of the films and propaganda memoriabilia sufficient to satisfy market demands, and attract larger audiences to come to the theater through group tickets or specially priced tickets and high quality service. You shall fully utilize theaters' large cinemas, electronic screens, and promotional displays to carry out propaganda work for the films and ensure the films are shown over a sufficient time with a sufficient number of showings. 

3. Relevant movie production enterprises shall actively cooperate with the films' propaganda distribution and screening work, and actively organize promotional activities for the films' production companies and creative personnel, and promptly screen the film in the countryside and provide the materials needed for dubbing the film in minority languages. 

4. The Film Digital Programming Management Center shall actively provide information to rural digital film companies and projection teams in order to satisfy the needs of film screening in the countryside.

5. The Film Channel Programming Center and all film media shall coordinate with the films' propaganda distribution and screening, and actively engage in the work of propaganda to promote the film, bring about correct guidance of public opinion, and further promote the films' social impact and dissemination.

6. The China Film Distribution and Screening Association shall fully bring into play the utility of the industry association, coordinate screening schedules, propaganda strategies and actively provide service to members. It shall strengthen industry oversight, pay attention to market information, and provide status briefings to industry insiders. 

关于认真做好电影《青春雷锋》、《雷锋在1959》和《雷锋的微笑》发行放映工作的通知 

一、做好电影《青春雷锋》、《雷锋在1959》和《雷锋的微笑》的发行放映工作，是贯彻、落实十八大精神的具体实践，各广播影视局和有关电影单位要充分认识其重要意义，牢记责任，加强领导，精心策划，充分发挥电影寓教于乐的作用，为全社会掀起向雷锋同志学习新高潮营造良好文化环境和氛围。要通过影院放映、团体包场、农村流动放映等多种形式，为广大群众放映好影片，积极扩大影片的社会影响，发挥好影片教育、引导和激励作用。
二、各发行公司、院线公司和电影院，要积极制定宣传发行放映营销策划方案，及时提供满足市场需求的电影拷贝和宣传品，以团体票或优惠的票价和优质的服务吸引更多的观众走进电影院。要充分利用影院大厅、电子屏幕、宣传橱窗做好影片的阵地宣传工作，保证足够时间和场次排映影片。
三、有关电影制片单位要主动配合影片的宣传发行放映工作，积极组织摄制组和主创人员参与影片的宣传和营销推介活动，及时为农村放映、民族语译制提供所需素材。
四、电影数字节目管理中心要主动为农村数字院线公司、放映队提供信息，满足农村电影放映需求。
五、电影频道节目中心，各电影媒体等有关单位要配合影片的宣传发行放映，积极做好影片的宣传推广工作，发挥舆论的正确引导作用，进一步提高影片在社会中的影响力和传播力。
六、中国电影发行放映协会要充分发挥行业协会的作用，在档期协调，宣传策划等方面主动为会员单位服务。要加强行业监管，关注市场信息，并将有关情况以简报形式向业内发布。

URL: http://www.sarft.gov.cn/articles/2013/03/05/20130305173548980088.html