From Underground to Independent: New Cinema from China

There’s no shortage of events this week to kick off Year of the Ox. For New Yorkers, we highly recommend “From Underground to Independent: New Cinema from China” at the China Institute this Friday night, Jan 30. There’ll be two film screenings and Q&A with filmmakers in the growing Chinese indie film scene. SAN YUAN LI and DIGITAL UNDERGROUND IN THE PRC will be presented in conjunction with dGenerate Films.

dGenerate Films is a new America distributor for Chinese filmmakers headed by Chinese-American film producer Karin Chien. Her producing credits include UNDOING (starring Ningin favorite Sung Kang), Sundance-favorite THE MOTEL, and THE EXPLODING GIRL which premieres next month at the Berlin Film Festival. For New Yorkers and non-New Yorkers, dGenerate Films is in the final stages of preparing to go live via on-demand DVD and download with Amazon’s digital distribution partner Reframe. You’ll be hearing more about dGenerate in 2009!

About the films of “From Underground to Independent: New Cinema from China”:
SAN YUAN LI
(45 min, OU Ning, CAO Fei, 2003, pictured), 6:30 – 7:15 PM
Equipped with video cameras, twelve artists present a highly-stylized portrait of SAN YUAN LI, a traditional village besieged by China’s urban sprawl. Reminiscent of Dziga Vertov’s THE MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA (Russia, 1929) and Godfrey Reggio’s KOYAANISQATSI (USA, 1982), China’s rapid modernization is brilliantly presented, with fast-edited scenes choreographed to music. Commissioned by the Venice Biennale, SAN YUAN LI explores the modern paradox of China’s economic growth and social marginalization.

DIGITAL UNDERGROUND IN THE PRC
(18 min: 6 episodes, 3 min. each, Rachel Tejada, 2008), 7:20 – 7:40 PM
On a mission to acquire films and seek out the best and brightest of the Chinese independent film scene, Karin Chien and Suyin So from dGenerate Films visited post-Olympics China in September 2008. Traveling from Shanghai to Nanjing to Beijing with the cameras rolling, they found China’s other film community. Join them as they visit the largest underground film festival in China, explore the spirit of independence in Beijing, tour film compounds, attend a government-approved film event, and discuss the future of Chinese cinema.

How Much: Tickets are only $5. Seating is limited and reservations are first-come, first-serve. Snacks and refreshments provided!
When: Friday, January 30, 6:30pm
Where: China Institute, 125 East 65th St., New York, NY
For more event info: www.chinainstitute.org
For more dGenerate Films info: www.dgeneratefilms.com