5th Annual Reel China Documentaries Biennial Series

The Council on East Asian Studies at Yale University holds their biennial Reel China Documentaries Series.

Wrecked Cities in China
Dir. Zhang Haiying
30 mins
2010 English Subtitles

Wrecked Cities in China

All the cities can’t escape destruction. They are now of a single type, becoming a new Manhattan, or the next Singapore. None of them become their own. The new cities are changing into standardized ones, just like products off an assembly line. Old houses with unique characteristics have disappeared. The warm friendship and cosy atmosphere of the old days between people in the neighborhood are gone forever. What we see now are just tall buildings, like a forest made of cement.

The Last Great Dongba
Dir. Gu Xue'er
60 mins
2010 English Subtitles

The Last Great Dongba

Dongbas were ritualists of the Naxi people. Filmed over a period of six years, this documentary introduces seven culture-bearers of the Naxi. Three great Dongbas passed away in recent years, and a “King of Songs” passed away in 2008. This film includes rare scenes of them while alive, and records their mourning rites. On a high-altitude plateau at 7500 feet, the Naxi have preserved elements of their ancient culture: pictographic writing, mysterious rituals, and unique marriage customs. This is a rare cinematic document of cultural anthropology presents a precious, genuine folk culture at the verge of losing continuity.