The past year has seen Chinese mainland's film industry rake in more than 13.1 billion yuan (US$2.07 billion) at the box office, and domestic studios produce 791 films in various genres. The quality of most films, however, is still an issue.

There were standout films, though. There was Gu Changwei's "Love for Life" (starring A-listers Zhang Ziyi and Aaron Kwok) that tried to tackle the issue of AIDS. There was also Li Yu's art film "Buddha Mountain" (starring Fan Bingbing and Sylvia Chang) that tried to explore life's cruel realities and salvations. We had China's first visual cult "The Butcher, the Chef, and the Swordsman" and an innovative Kung Fu hero romance "Wuxia" that redefined the genre with some startling, and fascinating additions.

So, break out the popcorn as the editor rolls the credits for 10 best films made by filmmakers on the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan...

10. Love Is Not Blind

No one guessed that the romantic comedy "Love is Not Blind", directed by Teng Huatao, would sweep box offices across China. The film, with no dazzling visual effects, big name director or actors and only a modest budget, was adapted from a popular web-published novel. The film starred a group of mainland TV stars and was a magnet for young audiences. Despite costing less than 10 million yuan to produce, the film ended up making 350 million yuan (US$55.44 million).

"Love Is Not Blind" hit cinemas on Singles' Day (Nov. 11, 2011), and has remained popular ever since. The story explores how a girl, who has just broken up her boyfriend, copes with the lost love and learns lessons from it as she looks back on the relationship. She is helped in her recovery by another man. This smart, strong, considerate but perhaps slightly girlish (maybe for comedy effect) character helps the girl deal with her heartbreak and eventually falls in love with her.

This simple, down-to-earth tale includes a multitude of witticisms and also makes reference to many of the events and phenomena in contemporary Chinese society. Its success, along with being somewhat miraculous, also makes the film a beacon of hope for all middle-or-small budget films and filmmakers everywhere. It also proves the genuine market potential of a good script and the undoubted power of those who produce Chinese TV series.