Finding Kukan - Meet the Filmmaker

Li Ling Ai Photo Courtesy of Nest Egg Productions

Clips & Conversation with

Director Robin Lung

A relentless search for a Chinese American heroine led filmmaker Robin Lung to track down a lost Oscar-winning film on China entitled Kukan. She also discovered a compelling story about the Chinese American woman behind the making of the film -- Li Ling-Ai. Finding Kukan is about Lung’s quest to restore Kukan and the story of its makers to their rightful place in history. Join us as Lung reveals more about this fascinating story and its Georgia connections.

When: Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012 2:00 – 4:00 PM
Where: UPS Headquarters' Auditorium 55 Glenlake Parkway Sandy Springs, GA, 30328

RSVP to: Lani Wong at laniwong@comcast.net

Free and open to the public. Light refreshments to follow.
Sponsored by National Association of Chinese-Americans (NACA-Atlanta), Asian Pacific American Historical Society, OCA-Georgia: Embracing the Hopes & Aspirations of Asian Pacific Americans, Thai Association - World Center, USA (TAWC USA), Thai American Chamber of Commerce (TACC), Asian Cultural Experience (ACE), Asian/Pacific American Council of GA (APAC), Georgia Asian Times, Atlanta Asian American Film Festival, Georgia State University Asian Studies Center, Asian American Resource Center (AARC), NAACP Atlanta, UPS and USCPFA.

Movie Poster for Kukan courtesy of Deep Focus Productions

USCPFA Atlanta’s Summer Movie Night

Presenting: Centre Stage: The Life of Ruan Lingyu -阮玲玉

 

Directed by Stanley Kwan-关锦鹏

Stars Maggie Cheung- 張曼玉

Released 1992

Setting: 1930s Shanghai-上海

Exquisite meditation on the tragic life of one of the most well-known of China’s silent film stars, Ruan Lingyu, who committed suicide in 1935 at the age of 25, apparently in despair at the sensationalizing of her personal life by the Shanghai press (she was publicly accused of adultery)– an act that mirrored that of the real-life heroine of her last film New Woman. Kwan’s film recreates Shanghai lifestyles of the 1930s interwoven with documentary clips of Ruan’s films and reflexive scenes of the making of Kwan’s production.  Ruan’s life and death are as well-known by Chinese audiences as that of Marilyn Monroe to American audiences, and thus the film is best appreciated if preceded by some research. Maggie Cheung won several Best Actress awards for her portrayal of Ruan .

Ruan Lingyu

Maggie Cheung as Ruan

The usual potluck supper will precede the film showing. Please call Pat Webber at 770-396-5690 by Wednesday, August 8, to let her know what you’ll be bringing.

Webber Uniplex
1689 Chateau Drive
Dunwoody, GA 30338-6047

Directions to the Webber Uniplex (also known as the Webber family residence) can be found here.

For more information e-mail Sylvia Krebs.

Member Film Review: Big Shot’s Funeral- 大腕

Directed by Feng Xiaogong-冯小刚, Starring- Donald Sutherland and Ge You-葛优
Released- 2001   Available through Netflix

Film Poster courtesy of chinesemov.com

      
Synopsis: As a famed American film director Rob Tyler is in Beijing filming a remake of the Last Emperor, his translator hires a local cameraman, Yoyo,  played by Ge You famous for his role in Farewell My Concubine, to shoot a documentary about the project. As Tyler suffers an existential crisis of creativity and health issues, he develops a friendship with the plucky Yoyo. While strolling through a temple the two discuss the celebratory nature of Chinese funerals which, due to translational errors becomes, in Tyler’s mind, comedy funerals. Told he is being removed from the project by the production team, Tyler takes Yoyo into a trailer to film what may be his last words, “Yoyo, I want you in charge of my comedy funeral.” While Tyler is in a coma Yoyo enlists the help of a high powered businessman friend to plan the funeral spectacular with funding from corporate investors. No one bothers to to think about what may happen if the corpse never materializes and hilarity ensues.

       My Impressions: I began watching this film with low expectations as I had never heard of it and I am quite the Chinese film buff. Although this movie may have gone under the radar of international critics and festivals, it is definitely worth watching. Ge You is delightful as the caring and creative cameraman turned friend and Donald Sutherland plays the aging artist with true emotion. Although billed as a comedy, Big Shot’s Funeral carries some deeper social meanings as well. The film was released at the time that China was fully entering the global capitalist system and had just been accepted as a full member of the WTO. Feng explores the rampant commercialization sweeping China with the concept of a corporate funded death exhibition. In one scene an auction is held to release sponsorship spots on banners for the public funeral and, later, Yoyo and his business partner use a mannequin to rehearse the viewing of the corpse while trying to fit as many adverts on the body as possible. The film’s major detractor is the poorly written English dialogue and the wooden performances of the English language actors, excepting Mr. Sutherland. Luckily, Ge You’s witty English and Chinese language delivery and the humor and fast pace of the film supersede the brief moments of flat English dialogue.
Reviewed by Christa M. Ernst