Mothers (dir. Xu Huijing)
Documentary Fortnight, the Museum of Modern Art’s annual showcase of outstanding nonfiction works, this year includes two acclaimed features from China. ‘Til Madness Do Us Part is the newest magnum opus by acclaimed documentary filmmaker Wang Bing. Mothers is an award-winning look at the effects of China’s one-child policy on Chinese village life, produced by leading Chinese documentary production company Cnex. All screenings at the Museum of Modern Art. Details and screening dates listed below. Click on film titles for more information.
‘Til Madness Do Us Part 2013. Hong Kong/France/Japan. Directed by Wang Bing. In a bleak asylum in southwest China, 50 inmates who have committed crimes, are mentally ill, or simply don’t fit into society spend their lives locked on a single floor, negotiating sparse quarters, extreme isolation, and minimal food as best they can, in a world beyond societal norms. 228 min.
Wednesday, February 19, 2014, 6:30 p.m.
Mothers 2013. China. Directed by Xu Huijing. The complex personal consequences of China’s one-child policy are unveiled through the experiences of women and families in one rural town. Local leaders coldly enforce national policies, without regard to individual circumstances, by methodically carrying out the long-standing government decree. 68 min.
screening with:
2013. USA. Directed by Leslie Tai. Born in a small Chinese village in 1983, Fenfen has kept a video diary since 2007. The film follows three years of her life through her video diary and viewers’ reactions to scenes from it as they are screened in a restaurant, a hair salon, and other public places. 29 min.
Monday, February 24, 2014, 8:00 p.m.
Thursday, February 27, 2014, 7:00 p.m.