‘Center Stage’ reconstructs the life and enigma of a legendary actress
Stanley Kwan’s 1991 biopic about screen legend Ruan Lingyu takes an interesting approach, with an unusual style that focuses on the mystique of its star.
Tristan Shaw
Tristan Shaw is an American writer who enjoys folklore, film, and history. You can follow him on Twitter @Tristan89201760
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Chloé Zhao’s authentic, tender docudramas of the American West
Chloe Zhao won the Golden Globe for Best Director for "Nomadland" on Sunday, making now a perfect time to revisit her earlier movies about the American West.
‘A First Farewell’ bids goodbye to a Uyghur childhood
Dedicated to her hometown of Shaya, Xinjiang, director Wang Lina's debut uses non-professional actors to tell a poetic story about three young Uyghur children and their experiences with poverty, Sinicization, and a way of life vanishing before their eyes.
China’s ‘film-poet’ who belatedly influenced a generation of filmmakers
Despite directing "Spring in a Small Town," which is recognized as one of the greatest Chinese films of all time, Fei Mu wasn't appreciated during his lifetime, dying as a refugee at the age of 44. Fortunately, his films were rediscovered in the 1980s.
‘We Were Smart’: China’s controversial subculture tells its story
A decade ago, the "shamate" subculture ran wild in China, defined by young rural migrants sporting eye-catching fashion and colorful hair. A film by Li Yifan looks back at this underclass.
The movies of Fan Popo, China’s trailblazing LGBTQ filmmaker
The streaming platform Montage is currently hosting nine films by Fan Popo, one of China’s best-known filmmakers on queer themes.
Four LGBTQ shorts currently streaming at the LA Chinese Film Festival
The Los Angeles Chinese Film Festival is currently holding virtual screenings until February 5. On Montage, viewers can watch, for free, four LGBTQ-themed shorts.
‘Flowers of Shanghai’: Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s dreamy reconstruction of late-Qing decadence
Hou Hsiao-hsien’s 1998 film "Flowers of Shanghai," which follows the lives of courtesans from four different Qing-era "flower houses," has just been rereleased in a 4k restoration.
‘Your Name Engraved Herein’: Forbidden love in 1980s Taiwan
The award-winning film "Your Name Engraved Herein" was Taiwan's highest grossing domestic production of 2020, the first gay-themed film to earn that distinction.