The representation of women in comic sketches of the CCTV China Spring Festival Gala (2014-2024)

Abstract

This research undertakes a feminist-informed analysis of the comedic sketches featured in the Chinese CCTV Spring Festival Gala. Its principal objectives are to elucidate the representation of women within these sketches, as well as to unpack the mechanisms through which gender-based discrimination is re­produced and/or perpetuated. To this end, the study examines a sample of 61 short comedic pieces aired between 2014 and 2024. Adopting a mixed-methods approach, the research combines quantitative and qualitative analyses. Specifically, it examines female participation in directorial and scriptwriting roles, while also investigating the construction of unequal discourses and imagery through the narratives and cinematic techniques employed. In this context, women persist as objects of ridicule and social coercion. The findings reveal that, female directors and screenwriters constitute a minority, representing only 7,7 % and 5,7 % respectively during the last decade. Notwithstanding the ostensible diversity of female characterizations, the representation of women remains subordinate to an androcentric perspective. In light of these insights, the study underscores the urgent imperative for gender studies training within the film industry, with the aim of fostering a media landscape that exerts a more equitable societal influence.