Post #5 - Elen, Monet, Tina, Max

 

        We believe the most important part of cinema is the creativity behind it, with our project we were able to explore the creativity not only in the art that was being shown at BAMPFA but also the creativity within ourselves. When thinking of our current project we believe that we were able to show and understand many different aspects of Chinese cinema but that there is still so much left to uncover. The beauty of cinema from any culture is that it is not a text set in stone. It is a living and breathing being that shift and changes and grows constantly. As we’ve all been able to see during this semester, the idea and face of Chinese cinema changes too drastically for it to be tied down to only one concept. At BAMPFA they recognize this and make it a mission to show the many different faces of Chinese cinema in order to show the complex beauty that begs to be expressed. We were able to look through the archives that BAMPFA curates, looking at pass articles that tell more about the history of Chinese cinema. These archives housed different film series that speak on the experiences of Chinese people, articles that write about different films that were to be played, and paintings from China to be displayed. We were also able to speak to people who work at BAMPFA who try to give a better look into Chinese culture. Kathryn McKay was able to speak to us about the importance of variety and displaying films that would be able to impact a community. We were also able to visit BAMPFA and see the work that it does first hand. BAMPFA approaches Chinese cinema by lending itself as a place for others to speak. A place for people to come to to understand the history and culture that they may not relate to or are deeply connected to. It is a place of art that displays the beauty and complexity of culture. 

As the Bay Area changed so did BAMPFA. The Bay has become more aware of the horrors that are inflicted against Asian people, the hate crimes that have been up since the start of the pandemic. Instead of standing by and not speaking on this, BAMPFA instead saw the changing times and reached out to Chinese filmmakers to come to their stage and speak; one person who spoke out was Wayne Wang. This change impacted our research heavily. We didn’t see BAMPFA as just a place for people to watch film but a place of resistance, a place where art can be seen as a way to spread a message. We went deep into the way art can be at the forefront of a social justice movement and also researched the origins of how racism has affected film. We were able to see the theater as what it truly was, a place for justice or a place that can further the divide among people. There is power in what you watch and BAMPFA tries to give that power to communities whose voices have been silenced for so long. 

We had been surprised just by how much BAMPFA tries to be a platform for filmmakers. In this modern era where corporations rule many aspects of our lives, it feels as though BAMPFA is trying to give back power to those who have had it repeatedly had their power stripped away. Letting people speak about their experiences is an important aspect of keeping a culture alive. 

While leaving this project we did still have questions about a few things. How is BAMPFA working with other communities to give a platform to other members of marginalized groups? What more can BAMPFA do to shed more light on Chinese cinema? How many people on the board of directors for BAMPFA have experience in Chinese cinema? How can UC Berkeley support the filmmakers within their own programs to further spread the experiences of those from communities that have been silenced for so long?

We thank you for coming along in this journey with us. We were able to truly understand the beauty and importance in understanding the lives of those who have been repeatedly left out of cinema. Even though we have been studying this subject for months we have barely scratched the surface of Chinese cinema and we are excited to go out in the world and continue to learn more.