Screening of 1428 in Ann Arbor, Michigan on Saturday, March 10th, 7-9pm:
"1428" (dir. Du Haibin)
1428, Du Haibin‘s award-winning documentary of the earthquake that devastated China’s Sichuan province in 2008 explores how victims, citizens and government respond to a national tragedy. The Great Sichuan Earthquake took place at 14:28 on May 12, 2008, causing 70,000 deaths and 375,000 casualties. Days later, Du Haibin visited Sichuan to capture the devastation as well as the recovery effort. Survivors were reduced to salvaging destroyed pig farms in the mountains, selling scrap metal for pennies, and pillaging homes. Seven months later, as the nation celebrated Chinese New Year, Du returned to see how life had changed in the stricken villages. Sidestepping the highly controlled media tours, Du found scenes not seen on official TV, exposing the gap between the Party’s promises and the disaster victims’ reality. University of Michigan, Angell Hall, Auditorium A, 435 South State St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Screening of San Yuan Li in Berkeley, CA on Tuesday, March 13th, 7pm
"San Yuan Li" (dir. Ou Ning, Cao Fei)
Armed with video cameras, twelve artists present a highly stylized portrait of San Yuan Li, a traditional village besieged by China’s urban sprawl. China’s rapid modernization literally traps the village of San Yuan Li within the surrounding skyscrapers of Guangzhou, a city of 12 million people. The villagers move to a different rhythm, thriving on subsistence farming and traditional crafts. They resourcefully reinvent their traditional lifestyle by tending rice paddies on empty city lots and raising chickens on makeshift rooftop coops. Directed by acclaimed visual artists Ou Ning and Cao Fei and commissioned by the Venice Biennale, San Yuan Li explores the modern paradox of China’s economic growth and social marginalization. International House at UC Berkeley 2299 Piedmont Avenue Berkeley, CA 94720-2320 USA