Jacinthe from Film in Revolt spoke with Ruby Arrowsmith-Todd (AGNSW curator of film) about the current film series – Neon gods, programming and advice for a career in film curation.
Can you tell us a little more about the theme of the Neon gods film series?
Yeah sure! The series runs alongside our wonderful exhibition here at the Gallery Heaven and Earth in Chinese art: treasures from the National Palace Museum, Taipei. Whereas the exhibition examines the harmony between the three principles of heaven, earth, and humanity, the film series looks at films where disunity and a lack of harmony (be it the kind of aesthetic, formally, or in terms of the film’s content) is an overarching theme. We have films about modern cities where characters are alienated from their environments, alienated from each other, and characters seek new forms of connection in really unexpected ways. I think you see this best in Tsai Ming-liang’s film, The Hole, which is screening in a couple weeks.
What film in this series is your favourite and can you tell us a little bit about it?
It’s hard to pick! I think Edward Yang’s Yi Yi. It’s an important moment of twenty-first century filmmaking and it’s three hours long. But don’t be alarmed! The time really does fly because Yang has an incredible ability to draw you into this intricate narrative web, by focusing on one family across three generations; the grandparents, the parents, and the children. And through looking at that microcosm he reveals multitudes about contemporary life, families, love, loss. It’s not likely to be screened again in Sydney anytime soon.
What film in the series would you recommend for someone new to Chinese language cinema to get them started and why?
Hou Hsiao-hsien’s Three Times, which screens on the 20th and the 24th of March. For readers who may not know, Hou is an acclaimed Taiwanese filmmaker whose work spans many genres. But across his filmography, all titles are united by an absolutely gorgeous aesthetic. Three Times stars the actress Shu Qi and the actor Chang Chen. It’s three love stories set across three different times.
What is the process of curating a film program? How do you narrow down the selection of films you choose to show at the gallery?
One of my aims in starting at the Gallery has been to reorient our programming toward showcasing cinema from our region. All of the films in this season, like most of the films that we show in the Gallery, are not easily available online. When I’m curating it’s a question of availability of a 35 mm print. I then ask – will this make for a unique experience? Is the film aesthetically or historically important? And also, what kind of film series does Sydney need at the moment? It’s curating programs that are reflective of the kind of people who are living in the city, the kind of people who are coming to the Gallery, giving people the opportunity to see films in their language, and also introducing new audiences to the amazing cinematic heritage of our nearest neighbours.
That’s such an awesome job to have! So, what has been your career trajectory? And what advice would you give someone wanting to make film programming a career?
I started out with a Bachelor and Masters in Film History. I am currently doing a PhD in Film History. As well as doing internships, it really was a project of auto-didacticism, just teaching myself film history. We have such an incredible capacity now with online streaming services and YouTube to watch and learn while you’re lying in bed! (Laughs) It’s been concerted years of reading, watching, getting out and attending screenings and learning from what other people were doing with film culture in Sydney. It’s a great privilege to now be able to provide a space for emerging cinephiles. You know, I was a regular attendee of the Gallery film screenings before I got the job! It was a weekly education for me and was not something I could just replicate at home.
What film made on impact on you in your youth?
I think it would have to be Claire Denis’ Beau Travail. I had never seen bodies on screen like that. I had never encountered a musical moment as totally moving as the final scene in that film. I often watch on YouTube the final sequence featuring the main character – he has a little vein in his upper bicep that twitches before there’s this paroxysm of dance. I think Claire Denis is a genius and the way that she choreographed movement and story in that film has had a lasting impact on me.
Now I really want to watch it! It sounds great!
You really should! It’s amazing.
Thank you for being so generous with your time today it was a pleasure speaking to you.
Of course!
Neon gods screenings
Until 5 May 2019
20/24 Feb – Rebels of the neon god (dir. Tsai Ming-liang, 1992, 35mm)
27 Feb/3 Mar – A summer at grandpa’s (dir. Hou Hsiao-hsien, 1984, 35mm)
6/10 Mar – The end of the track (dir. Mou Tun-fei, 1970, 35mm-to-digital)
13/17 Mar – Terrorizers (dir. Edward Yang, 1986, 35mm)
20/24 Mar – Three times (dir. Hou Hsiao-hsien, 2005, 35mm)
27/31 Mar – The hole (dir. Tsai Ming-liang, 1998, 35mm)
3/7 Apr – Crouching tiger, hidden dragon (dir. Ang Lee, 2000, 35mm)
10/14 Apr – Eat drink man woman (dir. Ang Lee, 1994, 35mm)
17/21 Apr – Yi yi (dir. Edward Yang, 2000, 35mm)
24/28 Apr – A touch of zen (dir. King Hu, 1971, 35mm-to-digital)
1/5 May – Small talk (dir. Huang Hui-Chen, 2016, Digital)