CTL4508 East Asian Film Cultures Presentation Group 7 Beyond Entertainment: East Asian Drama Films
Cassie Chan (53024748)
Cherry Lui (53037295)
Lily Sung (53028016)
Kapo Tsang (52218613)
Sophia Lee (53041917)
BEYOND ENTERTAINMENT: EAST ASIAN DRAMA FILMS Objectives:
• To increase students‟ ability to appreciate film from different angles • To raise students‟ awareness towards film and the society
• To provide opportunities for the exchange of ideas with film professionals
UPCOMING FILM EVENTS
Theme: „City Within Cityâ€&#x; The story behind the minorities in the society Objectives:
To encourage students to showcase their creativity, to express themselves and inspire others by producing short films on what they think and feel about the minorities in the society they live in
Entry requirements: Full-time university students
Enter the contest as a team or an individual No restriction on the number of participants in each team
Entry procedures: Enrolment online on Facebook event page „City Within Cityâ€&#x; Short Film Contest
FILM SPECIFICATIONS • Film must not exceed 15 minutes in length including opening and closing credits • It can be any film genre, such as drama, documentary or animation • The film must be accompanied by a text description of about 50 words on the content and ideas of the film together • The film and the text description must be uploaded onto the Facebook event page
IMPORTANT DATES Enrolment period: Now – 06/01/2014 Film Submission Period: 01/02/2014 – 28/02/2014 Before 23:59 Prize Presentation Ceremony: 24/05/2014 (tentative)
ADJUDICATION • All entries will be considered by the judging panel who will select the most outstanding film
• Final judging will be conducted by film industry professionals and renowned persons • Proposed judges are as follows: Johnnie To, Manfred Wong, 林嘉棟, Vivian Lee
JUDGING CRITERIA Entries must reflect the characteristics and inject positive energy into society
-Expression of the theme (25%) -Impact/ depth/ artistic level (25%) -Originality (25%)
-Filming skills (25%)
AWARDS AND PRIZES Best Short Film -HK$3000 photography gift vouchers and a trophy Best Screenplay - HK$2000 photography gift vouchers
Best Filming Editing -HK$2000 photography gift vouchers Best Cinematography - HK$2000 photography gift vouchers
FILM CRITICS WORKSHOP 1 Title: Film and the Age Objectives: To understand the relationship between film and the Age To discuss the significance of „time‟ on film
To show the interaction between social concerns and films at different times To showcase the functions of film on recording the past and reflecting social reality Content:
Citing examples and references from classical and famous films Date: 15/02/2014 (Sat) Time: 2:30p.m. – 4:30p.m. Venue: Run Run Shaw Creative Media Center, CityU Guest speaker: 林超榮
FILM CRITICS WORKSHOP 1 Title: What’s film critics?
Objectives: To introduce the development of film critics To understand the basic knowledge of film critics
Content: reading critics from different periods broadcasting documentaries of film critics and interviews
Date: 15/02/2014 (Sat) Time: 2:30p.m. – 4:30p.m. Venue: Run Run Shaw Creative Media Center, CityU Guest speaker: Chi Wah Chan, from the Hong Kong Film Critics Society
Participants: 30
FILM SCREENING MONTH Title: Beyond entertainment: East Asian Drama Films
Content: screening with a post-screening discussion with guest speakers
Date: 3/3, 12/3, 21/3, 28/3/2014 Time: 4p.m. – 6p.m. (2hours) Venue: Lecture theater 13, Academic Building1, CityU
The screening will focus on four films that discuss social obstacles faced by minority groups.
They are: The Lunatics 癲佬正傳 (1987, Hong Kong) Xiao Wu 小武 (1997, China) Silenced 도가니 (2011, S. Korea) Cannot Live Without You 不能没有你 (2009, Taiwan)
THEME Stories about marginal groups and the minorities e.g. physical or mental illness, pickpocket, divorced family‌
Reflect social problems like unfairness, injustices, discriminations and maltreatment -> films project and portray what most people neglect in the society -> function as a tool to reflect reality -> raise public awareness towards the minorities and the unrecognized
UPCOMING FILM SCREENINGS Monday, March 3, 2014 4p.m.
The Lunatics 癲佬正傳 1987. Hong Kong. 88mins.
Post-screening discussion with the director, Derek Tung Sing Yee (爾冬陞)
Trailer
UPCOMING FILM SCREENINGS Wednesday, March 12, 2014
4p.m.
Xiao Wu 小武 1997. China. 105mins. Post-screening discussion with Vivian Lee, professor in the
field of East Asian Cinema
Trailer
UPCOMING FILM SCREENINGS Friday, March 21, 2014 4p.m.
Silenced 도가니 2011. South Korea. 125mins.
Post-screening discussion with Ka-Ming Chan, 陳嘉銘 from the Hong Kong Film Critics
Society
Trailer
UPCOMING FILM SCREENINGS Friday, March 28, 2014 4p.m.
Cannot Live Without You 不能没有你 2009. Taiwan. 85mins.
Post-screening discussion with the director Leon Dai 戴立忍
Trailer
THE LUNATICS (1986) Directed by Derek Yee Tung Shing
THE 1980S Film makers favored the use of stories of social minorities as subject matter of their films Why Me?(1985) • Directed by Kent Cheng (鄭則士) • Tragic story of Fat Cat, a mentally retarded man
Silent Love(1986) • Directed by John Chiang (姜大衛) • Difficulties faced by deaf-mute people and released prisoners
THE LUNATICS 1986 • Chinese title is 癲佬正傳, Story of The Psychopaths
Director and writer: Derek Yee Tung Shing • First film produced by Derek Yee as a director
Leading actors/actresses: • Shui-Fan Fung • Deannie Yip • Paul Chun
The film • Reveals social difficulties faced by the mentally ill (MI) • Depicts effort of social workers • Calls for public understanding and support
PLOT OF THE LUNATICS Dr. Tsui, a social worker, dedicates his time to help the mentally ill (MI) patients Opening scene • A MI called Doggie attains a knife and scares off the public in the market • Dr. Tsui arrives to calm him down • Tina, a reporter, witnesses the process and decides to follow Mr. Tsui to record his works
PLOT OF THE LUNATICS Everyday work and responsibility of Dr. Tsui • Tracks down patients and provide whatever help they might need • The MI could be violent if irritated; actions are unpredictable • Can hardly take care of themselves
• Turning point of the film – Chung (MI), gives his son wrong medicine to fight liver problem – Thinking his son is dead, Chung buried his son alive – Bring up fact that one of Dr. Tsui‟s colleagues, Mr. Chen, has resigned after years of failure in helping patients to recover
PLOT OF THE LUNATICS - CLIMAX The climax depicts a tragedy adapted from a real life event • Un Chau Estate元州邨 1982: A MI patient killed his mother and daughter and attacks a nearby Kindergarten; 6 deaths and 44 injured • Tsuen, a seemingly recovered patient, hijacks a Kindergarten and attacks teachers and students randomly • Dr. Tsui shoots Tsuen with a handgun
PLOT OF THE LUNATICS - ENDING • Ending scene – Doggie causes trouble again – Dr. Tsui revisited the market but fails in securing Doggie and gets stabbed – Inspired by his persistence, Tina takes up Dr. Tsui‟s job as a social worker to continue helping the MI
TINA’S ATTITUDE Indifferent at first Change in attitude • Starts to show genuine interest towards the MI patients after coming across different kind of patients
REFLECTION OF SOCIAL REALITY Reconstruct Hong Kong as a shabby city • The city is only prosperous and harmonious on the surface
Constant problem-solving • Dr. Tsui keeps on searching for MI on streets to help them out • Suggests the potential risks that might be brought about by these patients • Creates a sense of unease and crisis
REFLECTION OF SOCIAL REALITY
Reasons of tragedy • • • •
Tsuen is driven to mental breakdown by social persecution Not the patients themselves that causes troubles “They will do no harm if you leave them alone.”Dr. Tsui The real reasons are lack of social resources, governmental support and public understanding
REFLECTION OF SOCIAL REALITY Dr. Tsui is the only who persists in reaching out to the “abandoned” patients Other sectors of the society eg. the Police force, journalists and ordinary house wives • A catalysis that drives the MI mentally unstable
• Characters vs. protagonist – The public‟s misunderstanding of the patients and lack of attention leave Dr. Tsui the only one striving for a better future for the minorities – Suggest that social workers are on their own
RECONSTRUCTION OF REALITY IN THE FILM Uses natural noises generated by the surrounding rather than melodic music • Creates a sense of reality • As if it‟s a documentary rather than fiction
Border of fiction and reality is blurred purposely • Inclusion of a real-life event • Conveys a message that the stories on screen are no fantasy
A SHARP WARNING TO THE AUDIENCE The film starts and ends at the same place with the same characters • Effort of social workers is looping in vain
As useless as it may be, however, • Hope does passes on – Tina‟s change in attitude and decision to take up Dr. Tsui‟s job as a social worker • Reveals the possibility of changes • Calls for action
By the end of the film, hopefully, Dr. Tsui will inspire not only Tina but also the audiences.
XIAO WU – THE PICKPOCKET (1998) Directed by Jia Zhangke
XIAOWU Director: Jia Zhangke (賈樟柯) • Six generation filmmaker • Independent director Jia: “While my way of filming allows me to describe Chinese reality without distortion.”
• Contemporary setting and controversial topics • Capture the feeling of an everyday life China • Xiaowu: - social reality - other side of China during the rapid change of 90s era
ABOUT XIAOWU… Low budget • RMB 400,000
Technique & actors
No official approval
• 16mm camera • Non-professional actors
• Underground film • Award-wining oversea • e.g.: Berlin Film Festival’s Wolfgang Staudte Award
XIAOWU – THE SOCIAL REALITY
Meimei
• Childhood friend Xiaoyong
• lover
• Agricultural based Xiaowu‟s family
XIAOWU – PORTRAIT OF MARGINAL GROUP Jia: “Xiao Wu is someone unable to deal with the changes” Economic & social development Xiaowu: typical representative of marginal group: 1. Pickpocket: -Struggle to make a living 2. Abandoned by the society social campaign (against street crime) Lost his friendship, lover and family
3. Eliminated by the society Cannot deal with those changes “我，梁小武，我就是個手藝人，這年頭，開歌廳的開歌廳，販煙的販煙， 我不會做生意，我就是個笨人。” Destined to be a pickpocket
Elaborate further…
1. XIAOWU AND XIAOYONG Best friend in the past 1.
Successful entrepreneur
2. „Legitimate‟ businessman „Fair trade & entertainment‟
2. Selfish & pragmatic Do not tell Xiaowu about his wedding Remind his past as a thief refusal to accept the wedding gift Discriminated and given up friendship with Xiaowu
2. XIAOWU AND MEIMEI Temporary Love • Karaoke girl • Want to be star • Fall in love with Meimei Reply on Meimei Buy pager and golden ring
• • • •
For money (practical) Leave Xiaowu Follow the rich customer to Yaiyuen Love does not last
When Xiaowu was caught: • „wish you all the best‟ Never come back, give up Suffering double whammy
3. XIAOWU AND FAMILY Family isolation Illiterate Live in the village Xiaowu loses everything in the town Home = shelter Give the golden ring to mother
Expelled by the father Conflict with father Leave home and never come back - Not welcomed by both the city and village - Lost all supporters - Return back to town & be thief again
4. XIAOWU AND SOCIETY Abandoned by the society
Caught by police Lost his freedom The public attitude and response: - Cheerful - Xiaowu = „dead wood‟ Useless, unnecessary in society - Should be jailed Last scene: 1. Handcuffed on the street 2. Hidden camera: Capture the real emotion of the public People look chillily, disdainful Sympathy & compassion • Abandoned by all people in society
CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT YOU (2009) Directed by Leon Dai
DIRECTOR – LEON DAI • a well-known Taiwanese actor and film director • has been awarded several prizes for his work. His second feature film, Cannot Live Without You (2001), was best director in Golden Horse Film Festival • focuses on social and ethnic issues
THE PLOT The main character of Li Wu Hsiung is an unskilled and uneducated laborer who dives into the ocean with faulty equipment and live with his seven-year-old daughter Mei.
Opening Scene Using Reverse Chronology: opens with a news report that main character was intend to jump off the pedestrian bridge with his daughter and shouted “ society is not fair”. Development • Depict the impoverished circumstances of their living and the close relationship between the main character and his daughter • Depict the cause of incident: When he tries to enroll his daughter in school, the authorities threatened to take her away for him because he is not the legal guardian of the child, even though he is her biological father, as her mother was already married to someone else when the child was conceived.
THE PLOT Turing point of the film He tries to seek for help from government official, but ends up getting the runaround from one department to another. Fearing that he may lose Mei, Wu-Hsiung is driven to desperation, leading to the incident that opens the film.
Ending Scene he finally was arrested and did not allow to see her daughter. And, Mei was sent to child care department. After two years, under the help of social worker, he finally can see her daughter.
TRAILER
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LBsXOR8GvE
CHARACTERISTICS
1. Based on actual story 2. Shot in black-and-white
BASED ON ACTUAL STORY The film is based on real-life characters and incidents, taken from the blockbuster incident in the 11 April 2003 that a man unable to get a legal custody of her daughter and resort to self-mutilation with a knife, threatening to jump off the pedestrian bridge with his daughter.
SHOT IN BLACK-AND-WHITE 1. Simple black and white can show a serious and sad topic 2. Viewers can focus more on the story itself, without all the color distractions 3. Making the film in simple black-and-white may be less appealing for the commercial market, the director attempts to make audience will be able to use of their imagination and to give these images their own colors
REFLECTION OF RUTHLESS SOCIETY Society lacks concern on marginal group
Reactions of reporter and public on this incident: • all the reporters are interested in the process and consequence of incident- not the reason behind his actions • public laugh and bet whether anyone will or will not die instead of concerning the safety of those involved
REFLECTION OF RUTHLESS SOCIETY Government workers lack sympathy and consideration for marginal group In the process of seeking help for legal custody : • government workers transfer the case of Wu-Hsiung from department to another department without providing the help for protagonist
• the civil servants and police fail to provide any real help; saying they are bound by the regulations • Chang Yu-Tang is poor, illiterate, irregularly employed who was discriminated by some government works
REFLECTION OF UNFAIR POLICY The policies are unfair to marginal group
• The law in Taiwan doesn‟t permit the biological father of a child to be legally registered as the parent if he was not married to Mei‟s mother
• Unreasonable and injustice: Mei and of Li Wu Hsiung have same blood relations
REFLECT THE DESPERATION OF MARGINAL GROUP • Desperation for help and injustice policy > Feel hopeless and frustrated
• The fear of losing her daughter > he dares to challenge society with daunting moves to fight for the right to live with his daughter • Angry with unfair society to separate her daughter from him > resort to desperate act
SILENCED (2011) Directed by Hwang Dong-hyeok
SILENCED (2011) • Also known as Do-ga-ni in S.Korea • Director: Hwang Dong-hyeok • Writers: Cong Jee-young (based upon the novel by), Hwang Dong-hyeok (screenplay) • Stars: Gong Yoo, Jeong Yumi, Kim Hyeon-soo
(source:imdb.com)
STORYLINE ‘Silenced’ is based on a true story. It depicts the severe reality of sexual abuse and physical violence of disabled children at a deaf school in a fictional town of Mujin(霧津), S.Korea.
Kang In-ho (Gong Yoo), a newlywidowed artist who being appointed to teach art, finds out something unusual going on at the school soon after his arrival.
Shockingly, In-ho discovers that the principal and his twin brother, and other teachers are sexually molesting and physically abusing the disabled children.
STORYLINE
Teaming up with human right activis Seo Yoo-jin (Jung Yoo-mi), In-ho tries to fight for the children and bring justice back.
In-ho and Yoo-jin are wrathful to find out that the police, prosecutors and even churches of the community are helping to cover up the truth. The criminals bribe their way to get lenient sentences.
DEPICTING SOCIAL ISSUES 1. Explicit scenes portraying how children being sexually molested and abused, the horrendous nature of the incident is being exposed thoroughly.
2. Close-up scenes that zoomed-in the weeping faces of the disabled children, showing the vulnerability of the victims, and also creating a feeling of helplessness among the audience
DEPICTING SOCIAL ISSUES 3. The film also accounts the principal bribing the police; the judge favoring the defense lawyers using "privileges of former post" (Jeon-gwan ye-u, 前官禮遇) , an informal arrangement in the South Korean legal system which special treatment will be given to private lawyers who were once retired judges or public prosecutors.
=> The director utilises genre conventions that provide gritty realism to expose structural problems of South Korean society.
MEANINGS OF “SILENCED” “Silenced” has a twofold meaning. 1. The disabled children's inability to speak Being unable to speak, the children had no choice but to endure the torture.
2. Individuals who keep silenced when facing injustice
After In-ho finds out the ugly truth, he keeps silenced and struggles about what to do. This hints that other teachers might also have known what was going on but chosen not to speak out. The judges, lawyers, and police were also silenced as they are either being bribed or being loyal to the “reputable” principal.
SYMBOLIC DETAILS 1. In-ho as an “everyman� Instead of portraying In-ho as a fearless hero, the director put emphasis on his struggles and weaknesses. When facing injustice, In-ho hesitates whether to do the right thing or not, as he has his own dilemma. Whilst In-ho is not a perfect hero, he represents a real driving force for good.
SYMBOLIC DETAILS 2. “Mujin” (霧津) the misty town
•
The last scene of the film depicts In-ho standing alone in front of an advertisement board.
•
The town of Mujin is clouded with sombre mist, possibly suggesting the sins that hidden behind our ignorance and ruthless disregard.
INFLUENCES Attention was drawn to the real case upon the release of the film. • Petitions and protests were brought out to call for reinvestigation of the case. • The demand for legislative reform reached the National Assembly • A revised bill, dubbed the Dogani Bill, was passed two months later of the film release to abolish the statute of limitations for sex crimes against minors and the disabled.
CONCLUSION ‘Silenced’ is a conscience-burdening film. ‘Silenced’ does not aim to entertain. It reveals the cruel reality as what it is. This is an incredible movie, if not a perfect one, for its power to have the policies reexamined and laws changed. Though it is a Korean film, the message it delivers is universally understandable.
LEAFLET
POSTER
WEBSITE
http://filmculture2013.wix.com/beyond-entertainment
CONCLUDING REMARKS • Films as an indictment against the unfair and brutal society. • The Lunatics & Xiaowu – hardships of marginal groups; Cannot live without you & Silenced – heartless justice system;
• All the films revealed the absurdity and ugliness of the world we inhabit; yet, they also drive us to reflect upon social problems and individual responsibility in making the world better. • Films can go beyond entertainment.