Autumn Gem

The US-China Institute hosts a screening of Autumn Gem, Rae Chang and Adam Tow's documentary that tells the story of a radical women's rights activist who defied tradition to become the leader of a revolutionary army.

Meet the “Chinese Joan of Arc,” Qiu Jin (1875-1907), a radical women’s rights activist who defied tradition to become the leader of a revolutionary army. Qiu Jin boldly challenged traditional gender roles and demanded equal rights and opportunities for women. She was the first woman to lead an armed uprising against the corrupt Qing Dynasty, for which she was arrested and executed. She became the first female martyr for China’s 1911 Revolution and is celebrated as a national heroine today.

While Qiu Jin is a familiar figure in China, she is largely unknown outside of the country. AUTUMN GEM is the first documentary feature on Qiu Jin in the U.S. Using scholar interviews, archival materials, and dramatic recreation scenes based on her original writings, AUTUMN GEM brings the story of Qiu Jin to life. The hour-long film is narrated in English and contains dialogue in Mandarin with both English and Chinese subtitles.

AUTUMN GEM is the first documentary feature from San Francisco Bay Area husband-and-wife filmmakers Adam Tow and Rae Chang.

Rae Chang graduated from U.C. Berkeley in 1994 with degrees in Art and Anthropology. Prior to filmmaking, she worked as a graphic designer at various Internet companies in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her fine art works include drawing, sculpture, performance, and video. Trained in Chinese martial arts (wushu), she performs with the dance company Facing East Dance and Music, focused on exploring the Asian female experience through modern dance.

Adam Tow graduated from Stanford University in 1997 with a degree in Symbolic Systems. A digital media and web producer, he runs his own technology consulting business. His corporate clients have included The Wall Street Journal, AllThingsD.com, Stanford University, Palm, and various startups in the San Francisco Bay Area. As a photographer, his subjects include weddings, corporate events, musicians, artists, politicians, and business professionals. He was the official photographer for the singer Vienna Teng's 2003 Tour and U.S. Congressman Jared Polis' 2008 Campaign.