<b>The complete series:</b> Reel China

Chinese students flock to U.S. film schools to develop their creative voices.

It’s not about détente, it’s about making money. The partnerships give the American firms better access to the country’s growing movie market.

Having rapidly increased its political and economic might globally, China is eager to boost its so-called soft power — its cultural appeal and influence — overseas by making animated films. But can it compete with Buzz and Woody?

Wendi Murdoch and Florence Sloan position ‘Snow Flower and the Secret Fan’ to appeal to audiences in the U.S. and China.

Films that have been blockbusters in China have failed to find much of a market in the U.S. Zhang Yimou’s $100-million “The Heroes of Nanking,” with Christian Bale and large portion of English dialogue, tries to change that.

The epic about the Chinese Communist Party stars China’s most famous actors. Theaters have cleared room for it and companies are pushing employees to see it.

Without Beijing even uttering a critical word, MGM is changing the villains in its ‘Red Dawn’ remake from Chinese to North Korean. It’s all about maintaining access to the Asian superpower’s lucrative box office.

Many don’t go to theaters, but China Lion is hoping to change that. Its latest film is the multi-genre ‘The Butcher, the Chef and the Swordsmen.’

The growth in movie theaters is frenetic, with plenty of room for expansion, but it’s not clear how much that might help Hollywood.

The native of Torrance has used a telegenic face and deft Mandarin skills to carve out his niche: playing the foreigner.