Critical Writing Index

For an Imperfect Spectator: Asian Films at the San Francisco International Film Festival

by Berenice Reynaud

Afterimage, Dec. 1990, v. 18, no. 5, pp. 14 -15

"For an Imperfect Spectator: Asian Films at the San Francisco International Film Festival" looks at the recent festival (April 30 - May 13, 1990) and its broad diversity of Asian cinema. Themes that are explored in the films are: the nature of cinema, cultural identity, history, political power, etc.

Berenice Reynaud states, "so the 'best' Caucasian spectator of an Asian film might be an "imperfect" one, who doesn't 'know' much but is willing to be surprised - an experience that is to be treasured in filmgoing" (14). This is in relation to lack of Asian films in America, as well as the issues of Asian representation in cinema.

ITEM 1990.097 – available for viewing in the Research Centre

Videos, Artworks and Artists Cited

PrivilegeYvonne Rainer

China, My SorrowDai Sijie

Chun TaoLing Zifeng

A Better TomorrowJohn Woo

The Story of Woo WietAnn Hui

Love in a Fallen CityAnn Hui

Love Unto WasteStanley Kwan

The KillerJohn Woo

Le SamouraiJean-Pierre Melville

The Magnificient ObsessionDouglas Sirk

RougeStanley Kwan

Full Moon in New YorkStanley Kwan

Life is Cheap - But Toilet Paper is ExpensiveWayne Wang

Chan is MissingWayne Wang

Sunless DaysShu Kei

A City of SadnessHsiao-hsien Hou

Iron ManSinya Tsukamoto

Untama GiruGo Takamine

Circus BoysHayashi Kaizo

To Sleep so as to DreamHayashi Kaizo

PiraviShaji N. Karun