Screen/Society--Cine-East: East Asian Cinema--"High Tech, Low Life"

Monday, November 4, 2013 - 2:00pm to 3:45pm
Screen/Society--Cine-East: East Asian Cinema--"High Tech, Low Life"

Film Screening:

 

High Tech, Low Life

(Stephen T. Maing, 2012, 87 min , China/USA, in Mandarin with English subtitles, Color, DVD)

--Introduced by Prof. Ralph Litzinger, Cultural Anthropology (discussion to follow).

 

High Tech, Low Life follows the journey of two of China's first citizen reporters as they travel the country - chronicling under-reported news and social issues stories. Armed with laptops, cell phones, and digital cameras they develop skills as independent one-man news stations while learning to navigate China's evolving censorship regulations and avoiding the risk of political persecution.

The film follows 57-year-old "Tiger Temple," who earns the title of China's first citizen reporter after he impulsively documents an unfolding murder and 27-year-old "Zola" who recognizes the opportunity to increase his fame and future prospects by reporting on sensitive news throughout China. From the perspective of vastly different generations, Zola and Tiger Temple must both reconcile an evolving sense of individualism, social responsibility and personal sacrifice. The juxtaposition of Zola's coming-of-age journey from produce vendor to internet celebrity, and Tiger Temple's commitment to understanding China's tumultuous past provides an alternate portrait of China and of news-gathering in the 21st century.

Cost: Free and open to the public

Sponsors: Asian & Middle Eastern Studies (AMES), Asian Pacific Studies Institute (APSI), Program in the Arts of the Moving Image (AMI)

White 107 (White Lecture Hall)