Asian Films
Lead by J Adrian Zimmer.
This six week class covers one feature film from each of Japan, Korea, China, Vietnam, India, and Tibet. Class discussions will zero in on culture, film making, and human nature. SGMs are expected to watch the films and read two online articles beforehand.
The Films
Grave of the Fireflies
1988, Japan, Japanese or English, 89min
direction/screenplay: Isao Takahata
subject: animated film in which children face
the aftermath of WW II firebombing
available: Vudu
comment: difficult to imagine how this film
could be as moving without the animation
Poetry
2011, Korea, Korean, 139min
direction/screenplay: Chang-dong Lee
subject: a woman lives with early alzheimer's,
difficult responsibilities, and poetry
available: Vudu, Amazon, Hoopla, Kanopy
comment: the protagonist is beautiful in body and soul
whereas the plot forces us to discuss blood money
A Touch of Sin
2013, China, Mandarin/Cantonese, 130min
direction/screenplay: Zhangke Jia
subject: three fictionalized events of
downtrodden people pushed to violence
available: Vudu, Amazon, Hoopla, Kanopy
comment: shows the underbelly of contemporary China
The Scent of the Green Papaya
1994, Vietnam, Vietnamese, 104min
direction/screenplay: Tran Anh Hung
subject: servant girl grows up and transitions
to middle class
available: Vudu, Amazon, Hoopla, Kanopy
comment: beautiful cinematography done
on Paris soundstage with lush
Vietnamese foliage
Haider
2014, India, Hindi, 160min
direction: Vishal Bhardwaj
screenplay: Basharat Peer, Vishal Bhardwaj
story: retelling of "Hamlet" in Kashmir
available: Netflix
comment: translation of Shakepeare's play to
Kashmir is faithful to both -- except
for the play's ending
Himalaya
1999, Nepal, Tibetan, 108min
direction: Eric Valli, Michel Debats
screenplay: Nathalie Azoulai, Olivier Dazat, Louis Gardel
subject: leadership conflict leads to rival salt caravans
(village chief, a friend of Eric Valli, plays himself)
available: Vudu
comment: beautiful cinematography done in remote village
several days hike from nearest airport -- village is
ethnic Tibetan located in Nepal -- almost all of the cast
are villagers
Class Discussions
SGMs are required to prepare in writing one minute statements about the film and/or the readings. These will be read without alteration by each SGM as the class begins. This process will give us a sense of what others are thinking before we start discussing. It is very important that the rules be followed:
A large class will be broken into two or three breakout groups for this exercise.
The rest of the class will be lead by the SGL who will ask questions, accept comments, and show scenes from the film.
On Film Availability
All films except "Haider" are currently available on Vudu but not Netflix. Vudu charges $3 or$4 per view and requires no subscription. "Haider" is currently available on Netflix but not Vudu. A month's subscription to Netflix costs $9. All in all this adds up to less than $30.
Of course there are often other possibilities and you may have your own subscriptions that can be used as well. In such cases you can reduce the total cost. A good source for finding all current possibilities for any film is
In the event that a film becomes unavailable online, another arrangement will be made. Possibly the SGL will stream it over Zoom. The later option works but is not ideal. The need for this is not expected and if it happens you may find that the film will be shown at a time you cannot watch it.