1st China Women’s Film Festival: Nov. 22 – Dec. 1

Posted: November 21st, 2013 | Author: LumDimSum | Filed under: Film & Movie Reviews, Upcoming Events | Tags: 22 Springs: The Biography of 22 Married Women, 706 Theater, China Women's Film Festival, Dalian, Daughter's Choice, Daughters of the Dust, Dongjen Center for Human Rights Education, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Julie Dash, Lucy Edwards, Mother's Way, Renmin University, The Inside-Out Theatre, The Rosa Parks Story, Trekking the Way Home, Tsingying Studio, UCCA, When the Bough Breaks, Wuhan, Zajia Lab, 三世三生聂华苓 (One Tree Three Lives), 危巢, 季丹 Ji Dan, 杜晓宇Du Xiaoyu, 猪肉与月亮 (Pork and Moon), 陈安琪Angela (On-Kei) | 1 Comment »

“We want women and everyone from all walks of life to attend and be inspired.” 

Organized entirely by a team of volunteers who have been working hard to put together the very first China Women’s Film Festival 2013, I first heard about this new film festival from Lucy Edwards, a volunteer at Dongjen Center for Human Rights Education and student at Renmin University.

“The film festival provides an opportunity to empower women and let their voices be heard in an interesting way. The films and discussions promote respect for women and their experiences, and raise awareness of the many challenges faced by women all over the world. Chinese and International audience members and participants can all expect to learn something new.” – Lucy Edwards, China Women’s Film Festival Volunteer  

The first year for this China Women’s Film Festival, it will take place in various cinema locations around Beijing starting Friday, November 22nd until Sunday, December 1st. Following these couple of weeks in Beijing, the film festival will move on to show in Wuhan, Guangzhou, Dalian and Hong Kong until December 20th.

The festival will screen a wide range of 22 international films and domestic Chinese films with both foreign and national film makers in attendance for discussion forums.

“Through both the presentation of feminist films as well as open dialogues between a diverse set of voices, the festival will increase public visibility of not only women in film and art, but also the myriad of issues facing women in modern China. This unique opportunity will facilitate conversation on the art of film making and allow for networking and strengthening of the film community. There will be a focus on the use of film to express women’s rights, involve the community to raise public awareness of women’s rights, and stimulate the enhancement of women’s self awareness.” – China Women’s Film Festival “About Us” Page

With so many films being screened, I asked Lucy to send me her top 3 film picks:

三世三生聂华苓 (One Tree Three Lives)/ 陈安琪Angela (On-Kei)/香港/2013/98min

This film records the passionate life of Nie Hualing, the mother of the International Writing Program. Her life spanned countries and cultures, weaving the trends of her generation with the beautiful shadow cast by the brilliant Chinese novelists she had come to represent. This film also records her constant love with her partner, the poet Paul Engel, whose love endured until his death. To produce this film, the director spent three years in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the United States. Her drawing room is the salon for the world’s Chinese writers and her life’s story, in which her constant love for her partner crossed three lives and three worlds unchanging in both life and death, is at once the tale of all of the 20th Century’s literature.

猪肉与月亮 (Pork and Moon)/ 杜晓宇Du Xiaoyu/中国/2013/28min

‘Pork and Moon’ is the story of a mother and son who brings a rebellious girlfriend home. Over a long period, they gradually learn to get along. The ‘pork’ in the title refers to the mother’s job in a slaughterhouse, and the moon refers to the months she spends with her son’s girlfriend.

危巢 (When the Bough Breaks)/ 季丹Ji Dan/中国/2011/144min

Not long ago, Beijing’s Daxing District used to be filled with landfills out of which neighboring scavengers eked a living. With the tumor-like spread of skyscrapers and subway stations in Beijing’s recent urban development, the landfills have been filled, and the bright lights of the city shine upon them. Only one wobbly little shack still stands against the winds of change. This film documents one stormy year in the lives of its inhabitants. 

Other notable films worth mentioning include 22 Springs: The Biography of 22 Married Women, Daughters of the Dust and The Rosa Parks Story (both by Julie Dash), Mother’s Way, Daughter’s Choice, and Trekking the Way Home (a Taiwanese documentary).   You can see the festival’s program and full list of films here.

Encouraging female film makers and directors, this is an opportunity to build the female film community while giving everyone else the chance to see some world class cinema! 

“I am excited to be involved with something that is a bit different and brings together such a diverse range of people and cultures. This will be a valuable experience for everyone participating. We are all volunteers and have all been working hard to make this happen, from transcribing and translating subtitles, to fundraising, arranging venues and rallying support from embassies and cultural organisations, so it will be great to see the results of our efforts!”

China Women’s Film Festival Details:

• Date: Friday, November 22 – Sunday, December 1st, 2013

• Locations: The Inside-Out Theatre, UCCA, Tsingying Studio, Zajia Lab, 706 Theater

• Click here for Venue Location Addresses and Contact Phone Numbers 

• Prices:Tickets/票: 

  UCCA: 20RMB (student price: 15RMB)

  706 Space: 20RMB (student price: 15RMB)

  Zajia: 20RMB (student price: 15RMB)

  Tsinying Film: Free

  Inside Out Theatre: 20RMB (student price: 15RMB)

  Festival postcards/明信片: 10RMB   

• Website: Click here. 

Other Suggested LDS Articles:

• Steven Schwankert: Global Book Launch of “Poseidon”

• The Big 5: Mosto’s Exceptional Anniversary Dinner

• Fitness for Charity: Help Victims of Typhoon Haiyan

• Arts Can Do: Champagne & Caviar Charity Art Gala

• Bake for BEAM: Cookie Monster Charity Bake-Off

---