Presented in part with the San Francisco International Asian American Film FestivalWhen the Chinese democracy movement collapsed on June 4, 1989, it didn't vanish, it resurfaced here and there, as traces of a reforming spirit. One such trace can be found in the renegade activities of a group of young filmmakers, the "Sixth Generation," who went outside of official channels to make documentaries capturing the unauthorized face of contemporary China. Presented on six evenings in March, the series Unofficial China, featuring in-person appearances by critic Bérénice Reynaud and writer May May (Zhang Ci), is a first look at these eye-opening works from what has come to be called the New Documentary Movement (NDM). Though the events of Tiananmen Square are often left unspoken, the disillusionment and crisis of identity brought on by the demise of the student-led movement colors these documentaries. Also specific to these daring works is the record of cultural and economic conditions never officially acknowledged, much less examined. Documentaries such as Wu Wenguang's Bumming in Beijing and 1966, My Life in the Red Guards recognize the particularities of the post-Tiananmen Square generation, as well as the legacy of the Cultural Revolution. Inspired by the portability of video, the New Documentary Movement is distinguished by its formal breakthroughs, exemplified by the multiplicity of heard voices, those of the makers and their subjects, drowning out a history of official silence. Equally revealing are the stark images of the backstreets and ramshackle apartments peopled by Beijing's "bastards."This program was originally organized for The Museum of Modern Art by Bérénice Reynaud. It is programmed at PFA by Steve Seid. Special thanks to Linda Blackaby, San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival; Sally Berger, The Museum of Modern Art; and Stephen Vitiello, Electronic Arts Intermix. Program notes are by Steve Seid based in part on those composed for The Museum of Modern Art.Thursday March 5, 1998
