KU News Release

Confucius Institute sponsors Chinese film festival

Update 3/19/08: The location has changed to the Glenwood Arts Theater.

LAWRENCE — The Confucius Institute at the University of Kansas and the Kansas City Chinese Association are sponsoring the first Kansas City Chinese Film Festival. The theme is “Shanghai: Between the Past and the Future.”

Classic and contemporary Chinese films (with English subtitles) will be shown at 10 a.m. each Saturday in March at the Glenwood Arts Theater, 9575 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park. Admission is free, but seating is limited. After each screening, the audience is invited to participate in bilingual group discussions led by area experts in Chinese studies.

Saturday, March 1
“Street Angel” (Malu tianshi), 1937, directed by Yuan Mu-jih. A classic of Chinese cinema that combines comedy and social realism in examining the lives of young prostitutes from the countryside in Shanghai during the Japanese occupation. Introduction and discussion: Sheree Willis, associate director for programs, Confucius Institute

Saturday, March 8
“Shanghai Triad” (Yao a yao yao dao waipo qiao), 1995, directed by Zhang Yimou. An epic story of one week in gangland Shanghai and its opium trade in the 1930s, made by China’s most celebrated director. Introduction and discussion: Sheree Willis, associate director for programs, Confucius Institute

Saturday, March 15
“Jasmine Women” (Mo li hua kai), 2004/2006, directed by Hou Yong. The saga of three Shanghai women — daughter, mother and granddaughter — and the tragic history of their family, spanning from the 1930s to the 1970s. Introduction and discussion: Zhang Yan Bing, assistant professor of communication studies, KU

Saturday, March 22
“Shanghai Dreams” (Qing hong), 2005, directed by Wang Xiaoshuai. A story of generational differences and conflicting dreams in a troubled family from the acclaimed director of “Beijing Bicycle.” Introduction and discussion: Chen Shudong, associate professor of humanities, Johnson County Community College

Saturday, March 29
“Suzhou Creek” (Suzhou he), 2000, directed by Lou Hua. A Hitchcockian romantic drama that explores the criminal underside of contemporary Shanghai. Introduction and discussion: Liu Cheng, lecturer at Huazhong Normal University and visiting scholar at the Confucius Institute

Films may contain adult themes, images and language. Parents should be aware that these films may be inappropriate for young children.

For more information, visit the Confucius Institute Web site or the Kansas City Chinese Association site.

Principal funding for the film festival is provided by the Kansas Humanities Council, a nonprofit cultural organization.

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