Film by Chen Xuanying 陈渲颖 and Rachel Victoria Byrd
Shadow puppetry is a traditional performance art in China, but audiences for it are much diminished in the age of television, film, and video games. This film looks at a troupe that continues to create and perform such dramas. The troupe features little people and this film introduces us to them.
It was produced as part of a unique collaboration between USC’s School for Cinematic Arts and the Communication University of China’s School of Theater, Film and Television. The program began in 2006 and alternates between Los Angeles and Beijing. Students pair up with a partner from the other school and have just a few weeks to produce their short documentaries. Click here for more information and to see the complete list of films produced in summer 2014.
This video is also available on the USCI YouTube Channel.
Other films from the program:
Leftover Park 相亲公园
Li Hongpei 李红霈 and Craig David Smith
Once Upon a Time in the East 鼓楼牛仔
Zhang Chenzi 张晨子 and Andrew Vasquez
Dama Dance 广场舞
Yang Yinglong 扬盈龙 and Anna Romano
To the Quarry and Back 芸芸狗生
Lu Xi 卢西 and Eddie Mattola
The Boundary 边界
Zhang Ye 张烨 and Ge Yufan 葛雨凡
