The film I watched for this assignment was Ip Man. The film focuses on the life of Ip Man and his family during the late 1930s. Ip Man and his family were highly respected in his community of Fo Shan, China. It was obvious too that his family was well off compared to those in his community, despite this the people respect him because he is portrayed to be honorable. This soon changes once Japan takes over Fo Shan, and Ip Man and his family are forced to leave their home and their belongings behind. Due to his abilities as a Wing Chung Kung Fu master, he quickly gains the attention of the Japanese.
I would use this film with my 10th grade class or 11th grade class as we cover World War II. We could look at clips of this film as we explore the reasons for Japan’s aggression before and after World War II; ideology, racism, domestic politics and economic background. The story of Ip Man would captivate the attention of my students.
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