ScreenFish

where faith and film are intertwined

China

Eternal Spring: Hope, Truth and Television Hijacking

by Leave a Comment

Combining 3D animation and interview footage, the new documentary Eternal Spring transports the viewer back to Communist China in 2006. Retracing the life of comic book illustrator Daxiong and a team of Chinese activists, the film follows the events leading up to a daring plan to hack into the state’s television broadcast in order to help speak out against their propaganda. 

Directed by Jason Loftus, Eternal Spring is a fascinating documentary that bridges the gap between thriller and spiritual inquest. As he delves into the story of China’s television hijacking, Loftus tells his story with such enthusiasm that one cannot help but be caught up in the heist. Based upon Daxiong’s stunning graphic novels, the animation is often eye-popping and entertaining, infusing the film with the energy and style that defines the very best of heist thrillers. 

Interestingly, extensive use of animation within documentaries can often allow for a certain level disconnect from the storytelling as a viewer. (For example, last year’s Oscar-nominated doc Flee is an excellent example of a film that uses its colourful animation to create a safe distance from the personal nature of the storytelling.) However, Spring never allows the viewer to feel too disconnected from reality. By introducing us to some of the players involved and showing photos of those who are no longer with us, Loftus keeps the story very much on the ground. By balancing animated recreations with a dose of reality, the viewer is never allowed to lose sight of the fact that the story is true and continues to impact culture today. 

As a result, Eternal Springs works on the number of levels. For example, through his exploration of the heist narrative, Loftus explores the nature of heroism. Whereas a Daxiong initially views his heroes of his past with a certain admiration, the film highlights the importance of social action today. Through the risks taken by these men and women, Springs recognizes the heroic acts of those who fight for the rights of others in our current culture, as opposed to hundreds of years ago. This argument bends the film towards its social justice roots, a theme that one doesn’t usually find within heist thrillers. Our investment in these men and women is not simply because they’re the protagonists. 

We cheer for them because they’re fighting for the people. 

At the same time though, Springs is also a fascinating exploration on the impact of spiritual health in an environment of control. Although the ancient Buddhist practice of Falon Gong is one that preaches peace and nonviolence, its popularity and roots within tradition seem to be a threat to communist ideologies. As a result, the Communist Party attempts to eradicate it from the hearts and minds of the people. However, as these militant and women recognize, there’s also hope that lies within the practice that brings healing to its participants. In this way, the film also notes the value of spirituality in times of oppression by providing hope for those that have none.

Sharply executed, Eternal Spring is absolute thrill from start to finish. Through his enthusiastic story-telling, Loftus unravels a gripping story of truth and justice. More than this though, Springs also points to the importance of spiritual healing, especially at the hands of persecution. 

Eternal Spring is available in theatres on Friday, September 23rd, 2022.

Sunday at AFI Fest 2021

by Leave a Comment

How strange that AFI Fest 2021 is already coming to an end. But perhaps next year the festival will be able to move back to a weeklong fully in person event. Still, it is important to thank the staff and volunteers for the work they did to make this such a wonderful—and safe—experience. And of course, I’m thankful that they grant me so much access to these wonderful films.

Do you remember going to movies full of viewers that becomes a common experience? We are reminded of that experience in Zhang Yimou’s One Second. Set in the Cultural Revolution, a man who has escaped from a labor camp is desperate to see a newsreel that has a brief onscreen appearance of his daughter. In the first town he’s in, the movie is finished, and the film is to be transported to the next town. But a girl steals one of the cans of film and the man chases her down to retrieve it, since the film won’t be shown if incomplete. The first part of the film is a humorous back and forth of the two of them taking the film from each other. When The film gets to the next town, one can (the one with the newsreel) has come loose and been dragged along the road. At first the projectionist cancels the movie, but the community is heartbroken. Soon they are all working together to save the damaged reel.

This is a story that reflects our love of cinema—even if it is Party propaganda. When the film eventually play, the audience sings along. This is more than just watching the moving shadows on a wall. This is an event that touches the whole community. There is certainly something to be said for watching this film in a theater with other people rather than sitting at home. It is also a story of family—not just the basic meaning of family, but also the family we can become with others.

Clint Bentley, director of Jockey, grew up in the world of horseracing. He hadn’t seen a film that accurately captures that world, so he made one. Jackson Silva is an aging jockey whose body is beginning to betray him. He hopes for one last great horse. Ruth, a trainer with whom he’s close, has a new horse that might be great for the two of them. But Gabriel, a young rookie jockey shows up, claiming to be Jackson’s son. At first, Jackson denies it could be true, but the idea warms on him, giving him a chance of a legacy beyond racing.

I’m something of a sucker for father/son stories. This one has an interesting twist in it. But it is also something of a meditation of mortality, as seen as the end of the life that Jackson has always known. The film is filled with scenes at sunset and sunrise (mostly sunsets) with beautiful skies. We understand that this is both a sunset and a dawn for Jackson and Gabriel. Jockey won the Audience Award for narrative films and opens in US theaters December 29.

Holy Emy, from director Araceli Lemos, is the story of two Filipina sisters in Greece whose mother was forced to return to the Philippines. Emy, the younger, has a special ability that her mother had. At times she cries blood. And she has the power to heal. Her sister Teresa tries to keep this hidden, so Emy won’t be taken advantage of. But a pseudo-mother who lives across the hall, has her eye on them. She knows that something is going on with Emy, and believes they have to baptize her to keep the devil at bay. Teresa is also dealing with a sudden pregnancy and a boyfriend who is more interested in what Emy can do than being a father.

This is a film that is filled with the color red—often blood. It also has a good deal of religious imagery and language. Yet, for all that religious feel, I never felt the film got to the serious religious questions that such a story raises. It seems to want a humanitarian basis for the use of such an ability, but it never seems to quite fit with what we are watching.

And we finish up with a few more shorts.

Johnson Cheng gives us Only the Moon Stands Still, a story of three generations of Chinese women in a failing dance ballroom. The ballroom may be closing, but for the youngest of the three the world may be opening up—if she’s willing to let her mother push her out of the nest. Only the Moon Stand Still won the Audience Award for short films. (22 minutes)

In Motorcyclist’s Happiness Won’t Fit into His Suit, Gabriel Herrera uses a motorcyclist to create a metaphorical reenactment of the hubris of colonialists. A bit too artsy for my taste. (10 minutes)

Sales per Hour, from Michelle Uranowitz and Daniel Jaffe, is set in a retail clothing boutique. The staff works at upselling through the day. But when they discover a sexual encounter in the dressing room, they face a dilemma about what they are willing to allow to keep sales moving.

Conspiracies Vindicated! Friends Reunion

by Leave a Comment

What happens when a “conspiracy” is vindicated? In this episode of the Your Sunday Drive podcast, we take a look at the Wuhan coronavirus lab leak hypothesis and its fascinating transformation from shunned conspiracy to legitimate possibility over the course of the past year.

Along the way we discuss other conspiracies that have turned out to be accurate or otherwise gained credibility, including the Christian faith itself. Also included: How to be a good friend to someone under the influence of a more radical strain of thinking, why to keep friends of varied perspectives and other related epistemological best practices.

Continuing the theme of friendship, we unpack the recent Friends reunion show on HBO. Was it good or bad? How do shows like Friends connect to our different phases of life? What are the benefits and dangers of nostalgia? Is Nate more a Ross, Joey or Chandler?

Come along for Your Sunday Drive – quick conversation about current events, politics, pop culture and more, from the perspective of a couple of guys trying to follow Jesus.

Hosts: Matt Hill and Nate Polzin. Presented by the Church in Drive of Saginaw, MI, as often as possible. Please visit churchindrive.com and facebook.com/thechurchindrive

Mr. Toilet: The World’s #2 Man

by Leave a Comment

“Turning poop culture into pop culture is the fastest way to solve the sanitation crisis” (Jack Sim)

Yes, there is scatological humor in Lily Zepeda’s documentary Mr. Toilet: The World’s #2 Man. How can there not be given the subject: a worldwide sanitation crisis. It tells us that 2.5 billion people (about 40 percent of the world’s population) do not have access to that most basic of requirements of sanitation, toilets.

Central to the film is a Singaporean business man, who after making his fortune turned his attention to crap. Jack Sim grew up in a Singapore slum with no sanitation. Kids who swam in the river either developed an immunity or got sick and died. When his family moved into an apartment (nine people in six hundred square feet) that had a toilet, he believed they were now wealthy. He has set out to bring this basic sanitation to as many people as possible. But it is a daunting task.

Sim has created the World Toilet Organization. He has also become the often comic face of the sanitation crisis. He is perfectly willing to humiliate himself to bring attention to the issue. For example, since 007 flipped over spells LOO, he has posed as a James Bond-ish character, among other pop culture figures. Much of the film is filled with his humorous presentations about poo.

Sim takes us to China to see a rural school with horrendous bathroom facilities. He talks to the students who would not ask their parents to provide real toilets—even though all their parents can afford cell phones. Phones are considered a necessity, but apparently not toilets.

We also go to India where Sim is working with the government in Andhra Pradesh state to provide 6 million needed toilets (but where will the money come from?) In India many women fear rape when defecating in the open.

We also follow him as he works through the Singapore government to have the UN declare November 19 to be World Toilet Day. (It’s coming up soon. How will you celebrate?) That may seem frivolous until you remember the number noted above.

While the film is essentially a consciousness raising documentary, because Sim is so central to the story, it also shows us some of the strain such work puts on him, his family, and his organization. In time, he must begin to take a different approach and be happy with small victories rather than grand displays.

Let’s face it, it is a bit unseemly to talk about toilets and shit. (If you can’t handle such language, this film isn’t for you.) We take basic sanitation for granted. Director Lily Zepeda recounts the genesis of the film being when she was on an L.A. freeway and needed to pee. As she got off to go to a store to use the restroom, a news story came on about Caltech winning a competition backed by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to design a toilet. She could easily find a toilet, but what of the rest of the world.

I cannot imagine having to live with open defecation, the stench, and disease that accompany it. But that is a part of life for billions of people.  Most of us just shake our head at the problem and the enormity of finding a solution. But for people like Jack Sim, it is a challenge that must be addressed.

Kingdom – Japanese Telling of Chinese History

by Leave a Comment

If you strip away the sex and dragons from Game of Thrones you have the story of trying to unite warring factions into a single kingdom and bring the period of warfare to an end. Kingdom (based on a seinen manga series of graphic novels, and later a seventy-seven episode  anime tv series) is a fictionalized telling of such a story based in the Warring States Period  (3rd century BCE) of Chinese history as the Qin dynasty seeks to unite the many kingdoms that have been at war for five hundred years. As in GOT, this film is filled with intrigue (although not as complex as GOT), heroes who rise to the occasion, individual fighting, and grand battles.

The story is told through the eyes of Li Xin (Kento Yamazaki), an orphan reduced to a life of a slave. A fellow slave, Piao (Ryô Yoshizawa), convinces him that the only way out of slavery is to become great warriors, so they train with stick-swords for years, awaiting the day when they can achieve glory. One day, a general sees them sparring, and chooses Piao to go to the palace to serve the king. The two long to be together, but when Piao must leave, Xin continues to train, knowing that some day they will fight together.

Then one night, Piao arrives wounded and dying. He gives Xin a map that will lead hm to someone in need of his fighting skills. When Xin follows the map, he finds… Piao! (Actually, it is the king, Yang Zheng [also played by Yoshizawa]). Piao was recruited to serve as a double for the king, and when a coup was attempted, Piao lead the assassins away while Zheng escaped. Now Zheng must find a way to regain his throne. Xin is torn between fulfilling his friend’s desire to aid the king and avenging Piao’s death because he blames Zheng. Xin agrees to help Zheng find his loyal general and connect with the mountain tribes to have enough strength to overcome his opponents. Xin uses his self-taught skills to share in the fight to restore Zheng and become “the greatest general under the stars.”

As the story progresses issues of classism play a key role. That a slave might rise to become a general is only a part of this. The usurper king, Zheng’s half-brother Jiao (Kanata Hongô, who often seems to be channeling Joffrey Baratheon), justifies the coup by pointing out that Zheng’s mother was a commoner, making him unworthy of the throne. In that sense, the ideals of equality (or superiority) form the foundation for conflict throughout the film. Zheng, who must convince the mountain clan to join with him, shares his dream of a more diverse nation which gains strength through coming together in peace.

But that is not an easy task. Zheng concedes, “Different ethnic groups with their own beliefs and cultures can only coexist after blood has been shed. Years of discrimination and resentment can be erased. A look at history shows how hard it is to overcome.”

Xin continues to seek vengeance for his friend, but that vengeance takes a backseat to the larger goal of restoration of Zheng to the throne and the bringing together of a nation. Along the way he learns that vengeance is not a fitting objective. He learns “When a king takes up the sword motivated by hatred or grudges, his kingdom will parish.” The nobility of Zheng and his followers becomes the building block of the new nation—and Xin is on his way to finding greatness by sharing in that noble cause.

The Farewell: The Beautiful Lie

by Leave a Comment

Based on an actual lie,’ The Farewell follows the young Chinese-born but U.S.-raised Billi (Awkwafina) who reluctantly returns to Changchun to find that, although the whole family knows their beloved matriarch, Nai-Nai (grandma), has been given mere weeks to live, everyone has decided not to tell Nai Nai herself. To ensure that she doesn’t worry about her own condition, the family comes together under the guise of an expedited wedding in an effort to see their beloved matriarch for potentially the last time. Torn between being honest with her Nai Nai and supporting her families wishes, Billi rediscovers the beauty of her heritage, her grandmother’s spirit and the ties that bind us.

Written and directed by Lulu Wang, The Farewell is a genuinely heart-warming story that charms its audience with endearing performances by its cast. Normally recognized for her comedic talents, the film is anchored by a solid dramatic performance by Awkwafina. However, that is not to take away from the rest of the cast as each performer breathes life into their characters as they trek through the murky morality of lying to their beloved Nai Nai. Ironically, for a film about deception, each scene feels honest and genuine, never shying away from the complexity of the situation. Choosing to focus on the faces of her characters, Wang’s direction allows the conflicting emotions of each character to be felt by her audience. In this film, there are no heroes or villains. Every family member is allowed to be both imperfect and brave as they attempt to make the best decisions that they can in an awful situation.

In the midst of the family drama, the film also asks earnest questions about the nature of morality. While Billi and her father grapple with keeping such a huge secret from their Nai Nai, the rest of the family holds tightly to their belief that there is nothing wrong with their decision to keep the truth from her. In doing so, the film offers up the tension between Eastern and Western ideologies, without belittling either position. While Billie and her father battle through the North American lens of individual morality, the rest of the family speaks of the Chinese view that the family takes care of each other corporately. Unlike most films that point to cultural differences, The Farewell actually proves to be a love letter to both worldviews, allowing them to be respected in their differences. Can a deliberate deception be a thing of beauty or is there a subtle cruelty in not giving someone the chance to say their ‘proper goodbyes’? Does culture really shape our beliefs of right and wrong more fully than we realize? This is a film that wants its audience to bring their own beliefs to the table and express them, knowing that their arguments are imperfect as well.

While it’s unlikely that The Farewell will break box office records, that in no way reflects its value. Tightly written and executed, Wang’s film is a gem that is worth spreading the word to your friends about.

Just don’t tell Nai Nai.

The Farewell speaks from the heart in theatres on July 19th, 2019.

When Love Sets Us Free: 1on1 with Celia Au (IN A NEW YORK MINUTE)

by Leave a Comment

Currently playing at the Newport Beach Film Festival in Los Angeles, In a New York Minutegives a glimpse into the lives of three strangers who inadvertently discover that their problems may be solved by a single pregnancy test. Amy (Amy Chen) is haunted by a past breakup that has manifested into an eating disorder. Angel (Yi Liu) is torn between an unhappy marriage to an American businessman and a passionate affair with a Chinese writer. Meanwhile, Nina (Celia Au) works as an escort in order to support herself.

Based on a Chinese short story, In a New York Minute focuses its lens on the journeys of three young Asian women in New York City. However, according to star Celia Au, while it’s exciting to have an almost entirely Asian cast, the film itself is accessible to anyone.

“I think it’s cool to have a full Asian cast,” she begins, “but I think that, for the story, it doesn’t matter if you are a Caucasian, black version, or Hispanic. It relates to everyone. These are circumstances that we all experience. Maybe you know someone that owns a flower shop or someone that owns a diner. It’s just a different setting, but it’s the same story that I feel like everyone can relate to.”

For Celia, what was most exciting about bringing Nina to life onscreen was that it provided a chance to play someone so outside of her everyday personality and persona. 

 “I remember when I first walked in, the director said, ‘Oh, you’re not as girly as I envisioned you to be,’” she recalls. “I said, ‘You can dress me girly, but I’m not really that girly.’ Every time [my friends who have known me for years] see a clip of the film or a picture, they ask ‘Who is that person? I don’t know you anymore!’ I just said that, ‘It’s called acting.’ [laughs]”

“It’s something that I’ve never had the chance to play. I have a kind of a tomboyish kind of personality. I always get like the hipster, the punk kid, the cool one, or the one that’s more rough and tough. [Nina] is a girly [character]. [When] I [was] reading the script, [I saw that] she had a lot of layers and depth. I would call her [story] almost like a Cinderella story in modern times. There’s her struggle of trying to make due of her current situation and make the best out of it. So, I thought that it was great to put myself in a different situation where I’m not most comfortable. That’s not me, which I liked that because people could see me in a different light and that’s what acting is all about.”

Though all three storylines follow separate arcs, the cast appears to genuinely connect with one another when they do share moments onscreen. Celia thinks that much of the harmony of the cast stems from their desire to build relationships on and off screen which allowed them to trust one another.

“The other women are all actually my friends,” she beams. “We’re all from New York so we’ve known each other for a while. We’ve never worked together until this job… On set, we all had time to hang out to get to know each other and built a relationship. And the great thing is that Mandy [director Ximan Li] created an environment on set where everybody got to be good friends… Once you have that, you can trust each other. You know? And that’s important.”

What’s more, this chemistry is also palpable between Celia and her co-star Roger Yeh, who plays her boyfriend Ian in the film. As the two worked together on set, Celia says that her connection with Roger was genuine, continuing after the cameras stopped rolling.

“When we were shooting, each couple [got] a nickname and we [said that] we should be the weird Disney couple,” Celia muses. “Every time they called cut, Roger and I would just belt out Disney songs. Our boom operators kept saying, ‘oh my God, I can’t do this anymore.’ [laughs] And then, when they called action, we’d get really serious. That was a lot of fun. Just to see everyone’s reactions, the two of us would look over and they’d be shaking her heads.”

As Nina, Celia brings that same enthusiasm to her role as the young woman trapped between two worlds. Asked what she believes her character is looking for, Celia believes that Nina simply wants the opportunity to find herself.

“She’s looking for simply freedom,” she claims. “[Nina] doesn’t want to abandon her family per se. It’s just she wants to find her own self and her own life, without being trapped. Her stepmom is basically like the queen of this flower shop and their family. She understands that her half-brother is the one that’s more loved and she’s okay with that. It’s just that her problem is that she wants to be able to do what she wants to do as well. She’s not relying on the family. So, she’s going out and using her way to find her own freedom and her own world, maybe not in the most common way. She’s trying to make money in the short amount of time to reach her goals and start a new life.”

In the midst of this, Nina finds that her life is gradually transformed by Roger’s deep unconditional love for her. According to Celia, love has the tremendous ability to offer someone hope in the midst of darkness.

“Everyone [within her home] just wanted something [from her], [whether it’s] give me money for this or that,” Celia explains. “But, for someone to actually stop and ask, ‘how’s your day? Is everything okay? I’m thinking about starting a future with you. I see something else with you, other than just answering to her family or trying to help support [you] in that way.’ So, this gives her a light at the end of the tunnel, basically. With Ian, there’s a new life ahead of them that she doesn’t need to be stuck. I think it’s really nice when you are feeling like no one cares about you at all and someone’s says, ‘Hey, how’s your day? I’m here for you. I’m just a phone call away. You can text me and I’ll show up.’ It’s a sense of security and support”

Living under the thumb of her family, Nina’s character remains stuck in a cycle of shame throughout much of the film. However, Celia also believes that someone can break free from the devastating effects of such an environment if they’re willing to take risks and step outside their comfort zone.

“[It takes] bravery and trust,” she argues. “It doesn’t matter if its Nina’s character or just life in general, sometimes we feel stuck in our own circle. It takes the person to take a leap of faith to get out and to explore the possibility of ‘x’ outside of our own circle and stop being too comfortable where you are. Everyone has a past, right? It’s just who they’re striving to be”

In a New York Minuteis currently playing at the Newport Beach Film Festival.

For full audio of our interview with Celia Au, click here.

The New Legends of Monkey: New Legends, Classic Story

by Leave a Comment


The New Legends of Monkey follows the journey of Tripitaka (Luciane Buchanan), a young monk who lives in a world of gods and demons. Seeking an answer to the evils of the world, Tripitaka releases the Monkey King (Chai Hanson), a powerful yet cocky god who has the potential to reset the balance of spiritual power in the world. Freed from his eternal prison, Monkey, Tripitaka and their team of misfit gods set out on a mission to collect lost scrolls of wisdom that will give them what they need to defeat their demonic enemies and restore their country to its former glory.

Inspired by the classic 16thCentury Chinese novel, Journey to the West, Legends has a classic feel with a child’s heart. As Monkey, Tripitaka and their crew venture into the wilderness, they find their wills tested in their encounters with the various demons that infect the land. They discover the true meaning of power lies within and are called to become better themselves along the way, wrestling with what it means to be pure of heart and people of character. Similar to other classic genre fare from the 90s like Xena: Warrior Princess or Hercules, the core of Legends is a hero’s journey with a heart of innocence. Despite the series’ emphasis on demons and gods, the series maintains a light-hearted tone of adventure and humor, targeting an audience of children between roughly 8-12 years of age. (Incidentally, the fact that this is children’s fare is important to note. Without this knowledge, adult viewers may become frustrated with the series’ simplistic tale. However, for a series targeting kids, Legends comes across as both entertaining and earnest in its storytelling.)

To me, one of the most interesting aspects of this series is its clear lines between good and evil. Although characters are challenged to battle through their own personal struggles, the world in which they exist establishes quickly the difference between the two moral sides. We are told immediately that the land is overrun with ‘evil’ and infested by demons. There is a lack of ‘good’ in this world, and it is up to Tripitaka to find the gods that can correct it. While this has obvious spiritual implications that someone like myself generally finds appealing, I was actually even more interested in the fact that, in a world of moral grey areas, this series presents itself with definitive moral lines. The actions of each character stem from their nature. We know that the heroes are good because they sacrifice themselves for others, use wisdom and do what is best for all of creation. Villains are those that are self-seeking and desire power to oppress and control. Who they are establishes what they do. Even though ‘good’ has taken a pounding, it still keeps fighting for no other reason than it’s the right thing to do. Personally, I found it refreshing to see this sort of world-building, especially in a show that knows its target audience is children.

In the end, The New Legends of Monkey may not be for everyone. (Let’s be serious: it has no such aspirations to be Netflix’s answer to Lord of the Rings.) Even so, its innocence, humour and heart of adventure make it relatively fun children’s entertainment that a family can enjoy together.

The New Legends of Monkey is now available on Netflix and ABC Me

The Girl and the Picture – 1 on 1 Interview with Director Vanessa Roth

by Leave a Comment

I recently had the chance to talk by phone with Academy Award winner Vanessa Roth about her new short documentary, The Girl and the Picture, that played at the Newport Beach Film Festival. The film tells the story of Madame Xia, who as an eight year old girl survived the Nanjing Massacre (sometimes referred to as the Rape of Nanjing). In that massacre she saw her family murdered by Japanese soldiers. She was seen on film made by John Magee, an American missionary in Nanjing at the time. In The Girl and the Picture, Madame Xia recounts her story for her granddaughter Yuan and great-grandson Yuhan. The film also follows Chris Magee, grandson of John Magee, on his trip to Nanjing to find a new connection with his grandfather, and to meet Madame Xia.

We spoke a bit about the idea of bearing witness, which is central to the film. She recounted about Xia telling her story long ago to John Magee, who recorded this in his journal and diary and later testified at a war crimes tribunal.

She then went on: Later we have Madame Xia telling her story to her granddaughter and great-grandson. And then we also have this stirring witness of her granddaughter writing her grandson who then can pass that down as well. So as much as it’s very specifically about this horrible moment in history of the Nanjing Massacre and this day that her family had been massacred. It is also very much about bearing witness and storytelling itself.

How did you come to this project?

I’d been approached by the USC Shoah Foundation in this past summer. They’d been working with Madame Xia on another project that they were doing with her about testimony. Madame Xia is one of only a hundred living survivors of the Nanjing Massacre left. So it’s very urgent to get as much firsthand storytelling of that moment in history as possible. The Shoah Foundation wanted to expand the work they were doing with the Nanjing Massacre and with Madame Xia in particular to have a film. So I think what I brought to it was that I wanted to do something different than had been done before. Madame Xia didn’t speak about her experience at all until she was in her sixties. But then since then she does speak about it a lot and has been interviewed by a lot of journalists. But I noticed in the footage I’ve seen, what she tells is the moment of the massacre which was very important, but what I really wanted to get into was the idea of family storytelling and legacy and history and how the much more much more personal kind of exploration of what historic moments mean to people.

That family storytelling, I think, is interesting because you structure your film that way coming from a couple different directions. With Madame Xia sharing with her granddaughter and great-grandson, and then with Chris Magee, the grandson of John Magee going back to where his grandfather was. I think the sharing shifts if you’re sharing a story with the world and if you’re sharing the story with your family.

Exactly. I think in families you’re able to ask different questions that a stranger is able to ask or a book is able to get at. Personal moment becomes relatable because we all have relationships with family that I think it’s given that there’s a certain human condition, no matter where we’re from or what generations we’re from, and that’s the kind of thing that can come out in storytelling like this. Grandchildren have different questions of the grandparents because that’s their grandparent. They’re not just looking at it with a lens of “tell me about this one moment”, but as a grandchild, a great-grandchild, you have a certain investment, because it’s you—your own story really. You’re hearing about your family.

With Chris it was a personal journey that he took into the footsteps of his own grandfather. The special think about Chris Magee is he’s actually a filmmaker himself. He’s a cameraman. I wonder about these family connections. How much do we carry with us—our own ancestors’ essence without knowing it. It’s just interesting to me what drove him to become a cameraman himself. He was able to go back to Nanjing and try to see more about his own grandfather.

It’s interesting his perception. For him John Magee was the grandfather. When he gets to Nanjing he is a great hero to be celebrated.

Actually that’s how Chris Magee had grown up, knowing his grandfather actually in that way. He’d been told as he grew up that his grandfather had all these historic films and knew his grandfather, John Magee, had testified at the war tribunals. And he’d known him in this way. And actually what was interesting is when he went back to Nanjing, that’s when he actually connected with him more on a personal level in an interesting way, where he’d kind of only known him through his films. Then when he went to Nanjing and walked in those same footsteps, I think he felt more affected. Then whe he met Madame Xia, I think that it made it even more personal.

How did you find and connect with Chris Magee?

There’s a woman in Canada named Linda Granfield who’s been working on the history of the Magee family. The Magee family is fascinating. She’s been working on that for years and years and years. So she’s really the historian of historians on the Magee family. Then the Magee family archives are actually at the Yale Divinity School. We reached out to both of them and said, “Who down the line in John Magee’s family would be somebody that we could speak with?” I specifically wanted a grandchild to talk to. So we’d been put in touch with one of John Magee’s sons—the last son still living, Hugh Magee. And Hugh put us in touch with Chris and said, “I think Chris is the person that would be a wonderful addition to this film because he’s a cameraman himself. He’s always been very interested in the Nanjing films. He has a deep connection to wanting to know about history and wanting to know Nanjing.”

In the process of making the film is there somewhere you had your own sense of growth or discovery?

Anytime I make any film. This film in particular I set out to make something that was to personalize a moment in history, For me, I really didn’t know about that history at all. I had to do a lot of research to even understand the context of everything. And also it’s another culture, another language. There’s always the self-reflection and the growth that has to has to happen. I wanted to make a film that anyone could relate to, that’s very personable, and to feel that the people in the film, that it was their voice. So for me that was just an extension of the positions I ended up putting myself in with the films I make, being in a culture and language very different from what I know or have known, and to make sure that I’m open to telling the story that presents itself to me and not the story that I go in thinking it will be. The main thing is that it all cemented even more with what I hoped I would have gotten out of making the film, which is this idea and conviction I have that we are all relatable to each other if asked the right questions and  we’re able to tell our stories and asked to tell our stories, and to kind of shatter this idea of otherness that gets created too often.

The Last Dalai Lama? – A Life of Compassion

by Leave a Comment

“So long space remains
So long sentient beings remain
So long suffering remains
I will remain. In order to serve.
That is the real purpose of our life.”

Documentarian Mickey Lemle first made a film about the 14th Dalai Lama (Compassion in Exile) in 1991. Now that His Holiness is in his eighties, Lemle has revisited the subject in The Last Dalai Lama? The title comes from comments that the Dalai Lama has made about whether he will reincarnate again—or how. But that question is only addressed in about the last quarter of the film.

The Dalai Lama is a world-renown spiritual leader. He has also been in the political spotlight since he was a teenager, dealing with the Chinese Communists and their expansion into Tibet. The film serves as a chronicle of his life, with the main focus on his work of trying to use science as a validation of his teachings about emotions and compassion. We meet scientists who are working to quantify the benefits of his teachings. We go to a British Columbia school where teachers are using his teachings with young children. We hear former President George W. Bush tell of the blessing he felt being in the Dalai Lama’s presence.

Early in the film when it refers to the escape from China, it mentions one of those close to him who was not able to escape and was imprisoned. The Dalai Lama told of this monk telling him that it was a dangerous time in prison. The danger was that he was close to not having compassion on his captors. When asked if His Holiness is asked if he hates the Chinese, he responds by speaking of the why of compassion:

I think quite often people get this impression the practice of love and forgiveness is something good for others, not necessarily themselves. This is totally wrong.

This approach is certainly as fitting for Christian consideration as it is for Buddhism. There are many Christians who look to the Dalai Lama as someone who can help us understand how we should better live out our own faith.

The political side of His Holiness’s life is also shown. He is the symbol for Tibetan independence. As such, the Chinese government seeks to silence him or control him. They have announced their intent to be involved in the recognition of his successor. (Which is a key reason for the question of how or if he will reincarnate.) In 2014 he declared, “I will not reincarnate.” The last section of the film is an exploration of what he might mean by that.

Of course, for many Westerners the workings of reincarnation, especially as seen in the lamas of Tibetan Buddhism, is a bit incomprehensible. Does he in fact have control over his reincarnation? Most of those who speak to this comment that he may choose to reincarnate in some way that is not as public as his current lifetime. He has expressed in the past the desire for a more humble life. Perhaps that is how he seeks to reincarnate. But between those who look to him for leadership and the Chinese government, it is hard to imagine how the fifteenth Dalai Lama will find such a quiet life. His own words in the film about his reincarnation do reflect that desire for humility—and the humility he has sought in this lifetime, even though it has been lived in the world’s spotlight:

I have no wish to be reborn in some heavenly place. What I want…my wish…my only sort of desire is to be reborn where some difficulties or problems where I can make some contribution.

The Dalai Lama is one of those persons who through their lives have transcended the religious labels that we choose to put on them. People of any faith—or even no faith—would do well to encounter this one who shares his life with us.