We acknowledge the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the Country on which the Art Gallery of New South Wales stands.

Film series: Asian new waves 8 February – 28 May 2017

By Robert Herbert, curator, film (until June 2017)
A finely dressed man and a woman with a baby on her lap are seated on a bench, posing for a family photo.

Still from A city of sadness, 1989

Films from China, Taiwan and Iran

Having embraced cinema with enthusiasm, the diverse and vibrant cultures of Asia have produced some of the most vital film industries in the world.

Every nation’s cinema is influenced by its social and political history. For China, Taiwan and Iran, the 20th century was often a time of political turmoil. The resulting ferment provoked writers, directors and producers to re-examine history along with bureaucratic and social conventions. As the political climate shifted during the 1980s and 90s, filmmakers took advantage of a relaxation in censorship laws and a decrease in government scrutiny to tackle previously forbidden subjects. Emphasising a personal and artistic vision, they produced stories rich in symbolic meaning, highlighting ironies and absurdities rather than directly challenging political regimes.

Embracing an eclectic range of stories and genres drawn from decades of production – intimate, epic, historical, domestic, international and local – the Asian new waves film series registers the climate of 25 years of filmmaking in China, Taiwan and Iran. It screens at the Art Gallery of New South Wales from 8 February to 28 May 2017 in association with the exhibition Beyond Words: Calligraphic Traditions of Asia, which is on display until April 2017.

Films

  • 8, 12 February – The white balloon (director Jafar Panahi, Iran, 1995, 35mm)

  • 15, 19 February – The runner (director Amir Naderi, Iran, 1984, 35mm)

  • 22, 26 February – Bashu: the little stranger (director Bahram Beizai, Iran, 1989, 35mm)

  • 1, 5 March – The colour of paradise (director Majid Majidi, Iran, 1999, 35mm)

  • 8, 12 March – The circle (director Jafar Panahi, Iran, 2000, 35mm)

  • 15, 19 March – A separation (director Asghar Farhadi, Iran, 2011, 35mm)

  • 22, 26 March – Dust in the wind (director Hou Hsiao-hsien, Taiwan, 1986, 35mm)

  • 29 March, 2 April – A time to live and a time to die (director Hou Hsiao-hsien, Taiwan, 1985, 35mm)

  • 5, 9 April – A city of sadness (director Hou Hsiao-hsien, Taiwan, 1989, 35mm)

  • 12, 16 April – Raise the red lantern (director Zhang Yimou, China, 1991, 35mm)

  • 19, 23 April – To live (director Zhang Yimou, China, 1994, 35mm)

  • 26, 30 April – The black cannon incident (director Huang Jianxin, China, 1985, 35mm)

  • 3, 7 May – Ermo (director Zhou Xiaowen, China, 1994, 35mm)

  • 10, 14 May – Life on a string (director Chen Kaige, China, 1991, 35mm)

  • 17, 21 May – Blush (director Li Shaohong, China, 1995, 35mm)

  • 24, 28 May – The road home (director Zhang Yimou, China, 1999, 35mm)

A child with light brown skin in a white headscarf holds a glass vase filled with water.

Still from The white balloon, 1995

A child with black hair and medium brown skin is screaming. Behind the child is an enormous fire.

Still from The runner, 1984

A young person with medium brown skin and dusty clothing raises their hands to the sky. Behind them is a dwelling with a thatched roof and trees.

Still from Bashu: the little stranger, 1989

Two children wearing colourful colothes are smiling. One child is holding and looking at the other child's palm. Behind them are flowers.

Still from The colour of paradise, 1999

A woman wearing a headscarf using a phone booth. Her hand covers the speaker as two police officers stand closely to her.

Still from The circle, 2000

A person with light brown skin and a black headscarf looks over their shoulder. In front of them is a fence.

Still from A separation, 2011

A person with light skin has their back against a wall. They are looking into the distance.

Still from Dust in the wind, 1986

A man with light skin and close-cropped black hair wearing shorts is seated. Behind him are magazine cut-outs of skimpily dressed women glued onto the wall.

Still from A time to live and a time to die, 1985

A finely dressed man and a woman with a baby on her lap are seated on a bench, posing for a family photo.

Still from A city of sadness, 1989

A seated person wearing a red beret and a red and gold silk top looks direcly into the camera. On either side of them are two red lanterns.

Still from Raise the red lantern, 1991

Two people in workers clothing stand closely to a brick wall. On the wall is a large illustrated poster of Mao Zedong.

Still from To live, 1994

A group of people all wearing white shirts are seated around a long white table. Behind the head of the table is a clock that covers the entire wall.

Still from The black cannon incident, 1985

A woman with black hair and a headscarf bites into a sandwich. Behind her is a pile of fruit on top of a basket.

Still from Ermo, 1994

An older person playing a stringed instrument is seated on the ground. Behind them are barefaced mountains.

Still from Life on a string, 1991

A close up of a person with a shaved head, thin eyebrows, brown eyes and bright red lipstick looks into the camera.

Still from Blush, 1995