This article, working from archival data and in-depth interviews, illuminates how the Chinese film production sector emerged, stabilized, and changed in the era of Reform and Opening, focusing the discussion on four sub-fields of film production: political ‘main melody film’, commercial film, ‘international Chinese film’ and independent film. The article contributes to a better understanding of cultural production amidst global linkages and national refractions by highlighting the processes through which globalization is appropriated by social actors in the cinematic field to alter domestic power relations.