Film Festival

[clay dube]

We recently had a great workshop which featured Trinity University's Don Clark talking about South Korean film and television. The latest issue of Education about Asia includes an interesting article by Tom Vick on film and contemporary Korea. Vick plans film screenings for the Smithsonian Institution's Freer and Sackler Galleries.

Vick, Tom. "Cinema as a Window on Contemporary Korea," Education about Asia 14.3 (Winter 2009): 37-41.

There are other articles devoted to particular films and an essay by Mary Connor (Korea Academy for Educators) on using such films in the classroom.

EAA puts some articles online (

http://www.asian-studies.org/EAA/TOC-14-3.htm), but these aren't among them.

If you're not already subscribing to EAA, you should consider doing so. The three issues each year are rich with concrete teaching suggestions, background readings, and more.

[Anonymous]

A film that I highly recommend to use with students to highlight how China is changing and modernizing is a documentary entitled, Up the Yangtze, a by Chinese-Canadian Yung Chang. The film chronicles the lives of two young people, 16 year-old Yu Shui and 19 year-old Chen Bo Yu, whose lives are being transformed as the Three Gorges Dam is completed and the waters rise, submerging villages and cities alike. Both Yu Shui (renamed Cindy) and Chen Bo Yu (renamed Jerry) are employed on a luxury riverboat that sails up the Yangtze catering mostly to Western tourists. Yu Shui must go to work because her peasant family can not afford to send her to high school and she needs to send money home to her parents as the waters will eventual swallow up their ramshackle home in Fengdu. Chen Bo Yu hails from a nearby city Kai Xian, and is as only child, and while not rich, is much better off than Yu Shui. The juxtaposition of China’s rural peasants with China’s modernizing and consumer-oriented cities is striking.

Even more enlightening is how the changing landscape is ushering a new modern China that challenges personal and cultural values of all in its path. This film vividly demonstrates how corrupt local government officials are unresponsive to its citizens who are basically on their own as they are displaced from their homes. This film is unforgettable as it shows how the Three Gorges Dam project means different things to different people. To the older generation it represents how far China has come in terms of modernity even if they don’t directly benefit from the modernization. To the younger generation it represents economic opportunity and Western values. The river serves as a metaphor for a rapidly changing China as it modernizes and undergoes a transformation to a market economy, and the traditional values disappear.

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[Anonymous]

Please vote for me is absolutely priceless, and I would love to find a way to utilize it in my sophomore English classroom. Instead, perhaps I can use it for my AP kids regarding the effective use of rhetoric. But...I am not here to discuss that right now, but instead, to share my thoughts on the well known documentary The Rape of Nanking.
Having viewed it recently, I found it to be tremendously enlightening. There is so much that I did not know.
Ex: only the poor were left in the city of Nanking after the bombings and invasion.
the safety zone creation was due to the diligence of missionaries, who basically gave their lives to the cause as well, having been so psychologically damaged most never "recovered" so to speak.
To use this film with my students will not be easy. I believe the bulk of the movie will be acceptable to show them, but I am having difficulty fitting it into my curriuculum. The closest I can come, is really for my AP juniors who are becoming masters of argument and rhetoric. Perhaps utilizing clips from The Rape of Nanking to highlight the propaganda being distributed by the Japanese.
Another possibility would be to use it with my sophomores in conjunction with Animal Farm. Although we are finishing reading it this week, I could look to include portions when discussing the use of propaganda and force. As I have stated before, having my sophomores in World History really makes it enjoyable to link their lessons/units with a historical perspective that they perhaps have just gained, or a just learning. It is truly fun to see the "lights come on" when they put things together as we are discussing a chapter in a book we are reading.
Finally, the film was impressive. The cast of Hollywood stars threw me off some at first, but their characterization of the missionaries and the roles they took on, were impressive. The actual footage of atrocities and bombings were also difficult to watch, but seemingly well edited and put together. Not a dry watch. It is a memorable movie and one I recommend viewing and using at least portions of, in the classroom.

[Anonymous]

Would like know if anyone has incorporated either of the following two films into modern world history courses, when dealing with Japanese imperialism, sword culture, and Nanking:

"In the Name of the Emperor" 1998 (Chang/Tong) or
"Yasukuni" (Li Ying)

Both seem to have had rather controversial receptions in Japan and elsewhere. Our sanitized textbook has virtually no treatment of this important period. How have others handled it?

[Anonymous]

I watched Nanking, a 2007 moving documentary about the devastation of one Chinese city and its people at the hands of the Japanese military in December, 1937. Besides the historical significance, it was also an example of how averge people become heroes.

While Japanese soldiers raped and killed thousands of Chinese women and killed many more thousands of civilians and Chinese soldiers, a small group of foreigners from different countries, banded together to form a "Safety Zone", in an attempt to keep as many Chinese safe as they could. I had heard of this but had not known to what extent these men and women went to risk their lives and stand up to the Japanese. The famous narrators who played the foreigners, and the eyewitnesses and survivors who shared their personal, heart-breaking stories, told of the atrocities and of the helplessness they felt; these stories need to be heard by the world.

One way that these facts can be told is in the classroom. The Rape of Nanking is part of the 10th grade California Social Studies Standards and I think this film can be shown in the classroom. If the 90 minutes is too long, I think a teacher could show the introduction, skip the marching of the Japanese from Shanghai and most of the bombing of Nanking. Leaving this out may skip the part though about how most of the people left in Nanking were the poorest of the poor, as the rich and middle class had the means to escape. It also could omit some background information on the foreigners who chose to stay, although they had the opportunity to leave.

The accounts of the Rape of Nanking are definitely hard to take and bring up a lot of emotion. Several Japanese soldiers were even interviewed about their time in Nanking, something that was surprising to see. I feel that the movie gives an amazing, shocking account of that horrible time and man's inhumanity to man, but it also shows something our students need to see, which is hope. In every genocide or mass murder like the Rape of Nanking, there are stories of hope and humanity, of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. And this is worth teaching.

[Anonymous]

Hi,
Could you tell me where I can find these films, without spending much time searching for them? Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Not One Less is a must-see for teachers everywhere. If you only see one film this year, it has to be Not One Less 😀 seriously. This is a masterpiece of propaganda (the good kind) and shows the virtues of selflessness and self-sacrifice. I will defintely use this in my classroom. Minzhi provides a wonderful teachable moment when she walks the class through brick-moving math in a stone-soup/synergy kind of way: together we can accomplish must more that the individual. I believe this will also be visually appealing to students and they will enjoy analyzing every aspect of it, especially the condition of the school in regards to government responsibiltiy. There are also commkon discussion topics such as children and teens working to help support the family, communal responsibility and social safety nets. Also, an intersting comparison-contrast would be our school, inner city Los Angeles, with Minzhi's "mountainous school" in the countryside.

[Anonymous]

I decided to watch "The Last Samurai" again after Professor Pitelka's lecture on the samuri's place in Japanese society and culture. I really wanted to see it again, knowing what I learned about the Samuri's position in society and their downfall because of western influence. Well with all that in mind, I loved the movie. I really didnt like it the first time I saw it. And I really didnt like that it was Tom Cruise playing the led. But it worked this time for me. The professor had mentioned that the Japanese loved Tom Cruise in it. That took on new meaning for me. I honestly thought they would resent this big time Hollywood star. But apparently they loved him, and I did too! I loved the flashbacks at the last battle scene, they were spectacular. I especially loved how Nathan Algren (tom Cruise) kills the Samurai, at his request and then in the last scenes goes tot he Emperor and gives him the Samurai's sword. It was very poetic and truly gave the Samurai an honorable position in Japanese Society!

[Anonymous]

Film Review:
Nanking
January 28, 2010
6-8 p.m. Leavey Library – USC

I attended this film screening at USC in January. I teach high school world history and always like to use film whenever I can to enhance a lesson.

I can use segments of this film as part of a lesson focusing on nationalism and Revolution regarding China and Japan from 1910-1939 leading up to WWII. Nanking tells the story of the Japanese invasion of Nanking, China in 1937. High school world history covers the Japanese invasion but the focus is how Jiang and the nationalists were forced to unite temporarily with the communists to fight against the Japanese. There is very little mention of the brutality, cruelty and destruction brought upon the Chinese civilians by the Japanese.

I’d like to use segments of the film to introduce the concept of genocide (even though, technically this was not genocide in its purist sense) to students and show how WWII really begins in China. The director mentioned his motivation for making the film were the words “forgotten and holocaust” used to describe this event and he thought those words should never be used together.

This film could be an important tool to demonstrate to students that atrocities were committed and can be committed by anyone on the planet given the right circumstances. Evil can be found in the hearts of all human beings.

[Anonymous]

Hello All,
I have been searching for films and I came across this website for the San Diego Film Festival. It looks like it has incredible resources that would be valuable for many different age students. There were many short films that I felt would work well for middle school and or high school. I was even able to find some films that would work for my Kindergarten students Ni Ha Kai-Lan Goes to China.http://www.sdaff.org/festival/2009/events.php

[Anonymous]

Japan: The Sword and the Chrysanthemum
Length 56:22
Produced by WTTW Chicago

Hosted by Jane Seymour, this is the second film in a four-part series. Each film, in its own way, deals with a paradox. This film deal with the paradox by asking the question “How can such polite, peaceful, artistic people be at the same time so violent, aggressive, and brutal?”

This film’s answer to the question revolves around the notion that modern Japan is still inextricably linked to its samurai past: an extremely structured society displaying an unbending code governing all behavior. Each samurai knew his place and displayed obedience even to the point of self-sacrifice.

Samurai found answers to questions of life in gentle pursuits and serene surroundings. Whether during a ritualized tea ceremony or meditating in a rock garden the warrior could contemplate swordsmanship and build courage. In Zen Buddhism the samurai discovered a belief system that disregarded the importance of death and focused on the here and now and the discovery of cause and effect relationships between himself and his world.

Samurai mores such as merciless behavior toward “losers” and never surrender mentality inform much modern Japanese behavior, especially in the workplace where deference is unquestionably paid to rules and order. Such is the argument in this somewhat dated but still quite watchable film.

A list of vocabulary terms as part of an into activity is recommended:
1. Fanatical
2. Genre
3. Stratified
4. Shogun
5. Hierarchy
6. Liturgy
7. Prowess
8. Inebriate
9. Pomp
10. Sinister

Learning Objective:
Ω Grasp the paradox in the title “The Sword and the Chrysanthemum” as it relates to Japanese behavior and personality.
Ω Gain an understanding of how fear of disgrace and shame control Japanese behavior and thinking.

[Anonymous]

Length: 30 minutes Closed Captioned
By: Schlessinger Media
Available at: http://www.libraryvideo.com

I want to comment on the validity of the film Ancient China. In this fascinating look at ancient China, one of the oldest continuous civilizations, students learn of the great Emperor Qin, whose Dynasty was responsible for the construction of the Great Wall and whose elaborate tomb contained hundreds of life-sized clay soldiers to guard him in the afterlife. It also explores the origins of Chinese innovations like silk and caligraphy and the discovery of how the famed "Silk Road" opened China's limits to trade with the outside world. I really reccomend the use of this video when presenting any lesson on Ancient China. Students will be able to discover how ancient peoples lived, ate, dressed and worked together. Thanks Professor Clay Dube for your input.

[Anonymous]

As part of our Spanish curriculum, I enfuse film into our learning as a visual and auditory processing aspect of language acquisition. We often watch cartoons that derive from cultures other than the Hispanic/Latino culture as a means of comparing and contrasting.
Each year, students watch Kung Fu Panda in Spanish. The story involves a Panda Bear who belongs to a family of soup makers, but who has the ultimate dream of being a Kung Fu master.

We compare the familial expectations of the Chinese society to that of Hispanic culture and how expectations occur in both types of societies. We also discuss how in "modern" times, expectations tend to dissolve, and therefore, cultures are seen as blending into one another.

Students see "typical" or moreover, "stereotypical" Chinese characters, exemplified through cartoons, and we conduct a lesson where we examen how these same characters may be represented if the film had taken place in a Latin American country and was about, for example, a soccer star or a bullfighter.

The easy, lighthearted nature of cartoons allow students to become disarmed and to see one culture but hear the language of another. I think that ultimately, this renders the assignment relatable.

[Anonymous]

A Great Wall by Peter Wang is the first American feature filmed shot in the Peoples Republic of China.
This was a great movie to show my students about familial values and respect of Chinese-Americans to traditional Chinese.
After 30 years of living in America, the main character returns to Peking to visit with his sister, brother-in-law and daughter.
The students observe how different relationships are viewed in America compared to China. They also are able to contrast traditional culture to modern culture China, and have a glimpse of the Great Wall.

http://www.nytimes.com/1986/05/30/movies/the-screen-a-great-wall-from-peter-wang.html

[Anonymous]

During the "Images of East Asia" workshop, Jie Zhang recommended the movie "Yi Yi" (2000) by Edward Yang. She said it was one of her favorites and I think she even named her child after the title, which means "a one and a two…" This peaked my interest, so I located the Criterion Collection DVD and spent my morning watching this film.

At 173 minutes, it is probably too long to show in its entirety to students, but a few key scenes could be very useful in illustrating a modern Taipei. The movie takes place in this urban landscape and oddly enough might be mistaken for any modern city. It's a strange notion how most of our major cities have become to look so similar with a McDonald's and Starbucks on most corners, and European designer shops surrounded by skyscrapers and apartment buildings and freeways. Not only is the setting familiar, the characters also go through the same ups and downs as we westerners do. And that is what stayed with me the most about this film - - that as different as we may seem, we still feel and experience the same emotions.

One of the main characters is Ting-Ting, a teenage girl, whose experiences are much the same as that of our American high school students. She is a bit awkward and longs for a "first love" relationship. At the same time, her father runs into an old college girlfriend and deals with his past as awkwardly as his daughter tries to navigate her own future. Yang-Yang, her eight-year old brother, says it best when he tells his dead grandmother that he wants to help people by showing them what they can't see for themselves. And this is what I think the director, Edward Yang, does so well.

Yang's style reminds me a bit of Ang Lee's Ice Storm. The characters are shown in pensive moods during long silences, while images of the setting are shown in great length - city lights reflected in windows, green trees at a park nearby.

A special feature included with the Criterion Collection DVD is a 15-minute interview, "Everyday Realities: Tony Rayns on New Taiwan Cinema and Edward Yang". This is very informative and I think it would be very useful for a film studies class. It examines New Taiwan Cinema from its beginning in the mid-50s when it was developed by the government as a propaganda tool. The documentary has some great images of movie posters and stills from this era.
[Edit by="cchin on Feb 28, 10:52:15 AM"][/Edit]

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