BANNED CHINESE FILMS DEBUT AT ATHENS FESTIVAL

01/22/99
Contact: Jenny Lau, (740) 593-1323

ATHENS, Ohio -- The work of some of China's most notable film directors will be shown at the Beijing Underground film festival in Athens Jan. 27 through Feb. 5.

The four films being screened have received widespread international acclaim, says Ohio University Associate Professor of Film Jenny Lau who organized the festival. They are the work of China's youngest generation of film directors, also referred to as the Sixth Generation, who work in secret to escape government censorship. Bans by Chinese authorities forbid the showing of these works in China.

Lau collected the material during a trip to China in November.

"The films address contemporary social issues and each film maker, ranging in age from his or her late 20s to 30s, has produced at least one award-winning film," Lau said. "The Sixth Generation was the first group of students to graduate without job promises because of capitalism. There is no infrastructure for independent films in China -- they no longer give money for film making. We want to support these young film makers here."

All the films will be screened at the Athena Cinemas, 20 S. Court St. Tickets cost $2. The films are:

  • "Beijing Bastards" by Zhang Yuan, winner of the Special Jury Prize at the Cocarno Film Festival. The film takes an edgy look at Beijing's youthful artistic underclass, from rock 'n' rollers to unemployed writers. It is the first truly independent Chinese feature. It will be screened from 4 to 6 p.m. Jan. 27.

  • "Postman" by He Jianjun, winner of the Golden Tiger and FIPRESCI International Critics Award at the Rotterdam International Film Festival. This is a beautifully told story of a Beijing postman who is unable to resist reading the mail he should be delivering. It will be screened from 4 to 6 p.m. Jan. 29.

  • "Red Beads" by He Jianjun, winner of the FIPRESCI International Critics Award at the Rotterdam festival. It is the story of a young man who dreams of a romantic encounter with a psychiatric patient; she in turn is sustained by a mysterious dream about red beads. It will be screened from 4 to 6 p.m. Feb. 3.

  • "The Days" by Wang Xiaoshuai, winner of the Gold Alexander Prize at the Thessaloniki Film Festival. This is the story of a young couple, despairing of lives as art teachers in a depressing urban environment, who retreat to a bucolic vacation in hopes of salvaging their relationship. It will be screened from 4 to 6 p.m. Feb. 5.

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