Category Archives: General

  1. Women’s History Month Events – Screening and Conference Presentation

    We hope everyone is enjoying the Year of the Snake so far! March is Women’s History Month and we’ll be having two special events in celebration of this important time. Final Screening On Thursday, March 14, we’ll be showing the film at the San Ramon Public Library. This will be our last scheduled screening, as [...]

    Posted on March 7, 2013 in General | No comments

  2. Autumn Gem Article in the World Journal

    We have a new article from David Wang about Autumn Gem, our screening tomorrow at the Chinese Culture Center, and our new iPad textbook, in the World Journal today: 自2007年開始籌畫研究，2009年自費開拍「秋瑾」紀錄片的華裔第二代張蕊（Rae Chang）與先生曹健鏗（Adam Tow），日前完成「秋瑾」（Autumn Gem）電子書，已在蘋果iBook上架。內容不但有文字，還有圖片及電影片段，是一本「多媒體電子書」。「秋瑾」目前在舊金山中華文化中心展出，張蕊和曹健鏗將於本周六，17日上午11時，在中心講解電影及示範電子書。 「秋瑾電子書是我們在開拍電影時，就考慮這麼做的，」曹健鏗表示，拍「秋瑾」前，他回母校史丹福大學的東亞圖書館收集資料；張蕊則回母校柏克萊加大東亞圖書館研究，兩人還訪問過美國的專家學者，以及秋瑾的後代，「無數文字和圖片內容，再加上電影片段，成為今天這本電子書。」 張蕊指出，出版電子書是希望藉著影音、照片、文字綜合起來的多媒體，造就一種新的教育形式，「比如說書中談到秋瑾的時代背景，就可以按書中的連結，去看背景資料，或是電影中的片段。」張蕊表示，未來的教材將會朝向多媒體的方向進行。 張蕊和曹健鏗的中文程度不太好，但因為看了一本介紹「鑑湖女俠」秋瑾（1875-1907）生平的書，兩人不但放下工作，還投資了6萬元拍電影，「想把這位少為人知的中國女權運動先驅者，介紹給西方世界」。 「秋瑾是位非常特別的人物，」張蕊指出，婦女在清朝是沒有地位的，裹小腳、不能讀太多書，「而秋瑾不但追求婦女解放，爭取男女平等，還立志推翻封建王朝，是中國婦女運動的先驅。」張蕊今年6月看到中國第一位上太空的女太空人劉洋，她第一個反應是：「劉洋是現代的秋瑾！」 張蕊和曹健鏗今年3月到現在，跑遍灣區所有圖書館，放映「秋瑾」並舉行座談，向大家介紹秋瑾，「很多老僑說看到他們的上一代；而年輕一代則反應對這段歷史有更多的瞭解。」張蕊表示，「秋瑾」放映總共超過120多場，灣區放映之前，曾在加拿大、夏威夷、澳洲、香港放映過，下個月還將到日本去放映。 「秋瑾」電影及電子書詳情：autumn-gem.com。

    Posted on November 16, 2012 in General, Interviews, Media, News, Screenings | No comments

  3. WOMEN我們 Exhibit Opening Reception a Success!

    The WOMEN我們 Exhibit Opening Reception at the Chinese Culture Center on Saturday was a lively success! We had a fantastic turnout with many viewers attending the artists panel moderated by CCC Executive Director Mabel Teng. The panel was a great opportunity to dialogue with the audience regarding the exploration of gender issues in our work, [...]

    Posted on September 19, 2012 in General | No comments

  4. AUTUMN GEM iBook at WOMEN我們 Exhibit in San Francisco

    The AUTUMN GEM iBook will be on display as part of the Chinese Culture Center’s new exhibit, WOMEN我們. The exhibit, whose title means both “women” and “we,” presents 13 artists from both China and the U.S. whose works focus on the expression of feminism and sexual identity in Chinese visual culture. Paintings, drawings, video works, [...]

    Posted on September 11, 2012 in General | No comments

  5. World Journal Article on Bay Area Screenings and Upcoming iBook

    Back in early March we were interviewed by the World Journal regarding our Bay Area library screenings and upcoming AUTUMN GEM iBook. 張蕊、曹健鏗拍紀錄片「秋瑾」 免費看 記者王慶偉聖他克拉拉報導 因為看了一本介紹「鑑湖女俠」秋瑾（1875-1907）生平的書，兩位華裔第二代（ABC）張蕊與先生曹健鏗，不但放下工作，還投資了6萬元，「想把這位西方世界鮮為人知的中國女權運動先驅者，介紹給全世界」。張蕊和曹健鏗拍攝的傳記紀錄片「秋瑾」，從本月起到5月，在灣區各地圖書館免費播放。張蕊和曹健鏗將出席每場放映會，解說電影並和觀眾交流。 「秋瑾是個非常特別的人物。」張蕊表示，婦女在清朝是沒有什麼地位的，要裏小腳，還不能讀太多書，「而秋瑾不但追求婦女解放，爭取男女平等，還立志推翻封建王朝。」 不同於商業電影「競雄女俠秋瑾」，張蕊與曹健鏗在打算拍攝「秋瑾」時，就計畫朝「教育」方向進行。「秋瑾是誰？誰才是真正的秋瑾？秋瑾又代表了什麼？」是張蕊和曹健鏗想在這部電影中表現「真實的秋瑾」。 張蕊和曹健鏗也作足了功課，分別在張蕊的母校柏克萊加大東亞圖書館，曹健鏗的母校史丹福大學胡佛研究院和東亞圖書館收集資料；並在美國訪問三位學者專家，以及仍在中國的秋瑾後代，在紀錄片中講述秋瑾歷史。 張蕊和曹健鏗於2007年開始籌畫準備。張蕊為這部電影辭去工作，專心製片，光是在準備上，就花了五個月，2008年開拍，到秋瑾的故鄉浙江紹興、（曾經埋葬秋瑾的）杭州等地實地拍攝後；再回到灣區，在灣區各地的公園及外景，開拍電影中的故事情節，請到武打女星李靜（李連杰學妹）扮演秋瑾。在2009年製作完成。 曹健鏗表示，電影不純是紀錄片，可以說是融合故事情節的「Doc-Drama」。因為是自付經費，許多場景都以克難方式完成，「就像矽谷的創業從車庫開始，許多場景是在車庫裡搭景完成。」 百多場在全美各地的放映會，張蕊和曹健鏗最起碼有一人出席每次的放映，講解電影並和觀眾交流。「這是非常難得的一個經驗。」上百場的放映會中，經常有觀眾會說自己祖父母的經歷就和電影中一樣；許多觀眾反映看過這部電影「才真正瞭解秋瑾」。 「秋瑾」今年將完成全美各地巡迴放映，但和電影相關的工作才開始。曹健鏗和張蕊已經給電影製作了解說講義（Study Guide），向學生教導認識中國女權的歷史。兩人將著手製作電子書，放在iBook上發行，並尋求適當的網路，將電影完整版放在網上，讓人一次看個夠，而不需要分幾次才能看完。 「秋瑾」從本月起到5月中，在灣區各地圖書館免費放映，詳情：autumn-gem.com/screenings/。 http://sf.worldjournal.com/view/full_story/17729308/article-張蕊

    Posted on April 30, 2012 in General | No comments

  6. World Journal Article on History Park San Jose Screening

    Here is the World Journal newspaper’s coverage of our screening at History Park San Jose on April 29. 張蕊與夫 戲說秋瑾傳奇 記者王金城聖荷西報導 影片「秋瑾」製作人曹健鏗、張蕊夫婦29日在聖荷西歷史公園的太平洋旅館向南灣觀眾介紹他們費時多年，精心製作的這部歷史教育記錄片。兩人講解鑑湖女俠秋瑾的生平與歷史背景，以及在中國、灣區等地拍攝的情形。放映會場上也展示「秋瑾」的影碟與相關歷史資訊。 張蕊的父母來自台灣，大學時期對自己的家世背景與中國歷史展生興趣，知道了近代中國推翻滿清帝制時出現秋瑾這麼一位女中豪傑。 她說，這個發現令她非常興奮，因為秋瑾不只是革命先烈，也是女權運動先驅，早在100多年前就挺身而出，爭取男女平等，是非常進步的思想。 張蕊和曹健鏗於2007年開始籌畫製作這部影片，準備工作花了五個月，拍攝時並到秋瑾故鄉紹興實地製作，訪問當地學者。曹健鏗表示，「秋瑾」可為第一代華裔與在美國成長華裔之間的橋梁，因為兩岸三地很多來美的移民都知道秋瑾的故事，可是在美國生長的華裔並不知道。這部影片成為不同世代華裔相互溝通的管道。 「秋瑾」由張蕊編演，曹健鏗製片，是他們完成的第一部自製自導紀錄長片。張蕊畢業於柏克萊加大、主修藝術與人類學。曹健鏗則畢業於史丹福大學，從事電腦與網路工作，也是專業攝影師。 http://sf.worldjournal.com/view/full_sfnews/18406326/article-張蕊與夫-戲說秋瑾傳奇?

    Posted on April 30, 2012 in General, Interviews, Media, News, Screenings | No comments

  7. Upcoming Bay Area Screenings

    Welcome 2012! We’re gearing up for the Year of the Dragon! After over 100 screenings across the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Hong Kong, we’ll be focusing on showings right here in the Bay Area, starting with a series at the San Mateo County Libraries. We’ll also be hitting the East Bay (Berkeley, Fremont, Livermore, Danville, [...]

    Posted on January 10, 2012 in General | No comments

  8. Santa Clara and Hayward Public Libraries Screening Recap

    We’re just hours away from boarding a plane to Hong Kong for our final screenings for 2011. Last week, we had two screenings in public libraries in the San Francisco Bay Area. We showed the film at the Santa Clara City Library and the Hayward Public Library. Though I’m writing this as I’m furiously packing, [...]

    Posted on October 12, 2011 in General, News, Screenings | No comments

  9. 2011 Fall Update

    SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, BAY AREA, HONG KONG SCREENINGS LI JING OPENS MARTIAL ARTS SCHOOL 1911 REVOLUTION CENTENARY AUTUMN GEM IN THE BLACK FALL TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED AUTUMN GEM will have its first Asia showing in Hong Kong next month! We’ll also have events in the Bay Area and Southern California. Check below to see if we’re [...]

    Posted on September 21, 2011 in General | 2 comments

  10. Hong Kong Feature Film on Qiu Jin to be Released

    A new feature film on Qiu Jin called “The Woman Knight of Mirror Lake” is opening this week in Hong Kong. It’s directed by Herman Yau and stars Huang Yi as Qiu Jin and veteran actor Anthony Wong as a Qing Dynasty official. Check out the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJzyEBvQNEM And here’s our version: Somehow I [...]

    Posted on August 21, 2011 in General, News, Screenings, Travel | 7 comments

  11. World Journal Article on San Diego Chinese Historical Museum Screening

    Here is the World Journal newspaper’s coverage of our screening at the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum last Saturday. Reporter Daming Lee wrote about our first major public event at La Jolla Country Day School in May 2009. 秋瑾紀錄片放映滿百場 記者李大明聖地牙哥報導 正值辛亥革命成功、中華民國誕生100周年之際，旅美華裔曹健鏗、張蕊夫婦拍攝的傳記紀錄片「秋瑾」也在美加各地放映整整100場。這一富有意義的巧合，顯示海外華人新一代重拾歷史使命的心願，更標誌文化傳承有更堅實基礎。 上世紀70年代出生的曹健鏗與張蕊，分別是香港、台灣移民的後代。曹健鏗畢業於史丹福大學，張蕊則是柏克萊加大高材生，兩人在拍攝傳記紀錄片「秋瑾」之前，對百年中國近代史所知有限，對電影製作更是一竅不通。一個偶然機會，他們看到了一本介紹「鑑湖女俠」秋瑾（1875-1907）生平的書，深為這位女傑立志推翻封建王朝、追求婦女解放、最終為理想獻身的事蹟所感動，決心拍攝一部影片，讓海外華人下一代瞭解這些可歌可泣的往事。 兩位年輕人不顧資金匱乏、經驗不足，說幹就幹。他們走遍秋瑾故里浙江紹興，請教研究秋瑾的中外學者，終於在2009年完成這部長達一小時的傳記紀錄片，並在聖地牙哥的私立中學「La Jolla Country Day School」首映，受到許多好評。 此後兩年，曹健鏗與張蕊帶著自己的這部處女作，馬不停蹄地奔走於美國東西兩岸放映，漸漸引起了媒體與公眾的注意。上周末，兩人回到當初起步的聖地牙哥，在當地「中華歷史博物館」為華洋朋友作了第100場放映，作為對辛亥革命百周年的獻禮，並告慰秋瑾烈士。 近百名華洋朋友應邀在聖地牙哥中華歷史博物館觀賞了這部電影，曹健鏗、張蕊還即席回答了觀眾的提問。歷史博物館館長莊紹文代表社區，向兩人頒贈了感謝狀。

    Posted on June 4, 2011 in General | No comments

  12. Female Circumcision and Footbinding

    I was alerted to an article in the New York Times recently about female genital mutilation (also known as female circumcision) in Africa. Young girls are taken to a “cutter” who carves out their clitoris and labia with a razor, then stitches the flesh back together, leaving a small opening for urination and menstruation. The [...]

    Posted on May 12, 2011 in General | No comments

  13. Cinematic Celebrations of Centenary

    In addition to Jackie Chan’s film 1911, Taiwan is producing an animated feature on Sun Yat-sen and his comrades to commemorate the 1911 Revolution centenary. I grabbed a couple screenshots from the trailer featuring Qiu Jin: She looks a bit like Li Jing (maybe it’s the similar poses). Here’s a portrait of Qiu Jin as [...]

    Posted on May 10, 2011 in General | No comments

  14. A Century of Change: China 1911-2011

    The Hoover Institution Archives at Stanford University is celebrating the 100 years anniversary of the 1911 Revolution with a new exhibit featuring archival materials and audiovisual media from its collection, as well as a few props from AUTUMN GEM in its section on “Reformers and Revolutionaries.” Adam and I attended the reception and were impressed [...]

    Posted on May 6, 2011 in General | 1 comment

  15. A Step Backwards for Women in China

    “What’s the current status of women in China today?” This question comes up often in our Q-and-A sessions. Interestingly, we were recently alerted to an incident which sheds some light on this topic. Li Yinhe slams NPC representative Zhang Xiaomei’s proposal to send women back into the kitchen At the recently concluded “Two Sessions”, a [...]

    Posted on March 22, 2011 in General | 1 comment

  16. Monterey Park Public Library Screening Recap

    Rounding out our Southern California tour was an event at the Monterey Park Public Library. Monterey Park was where we filmed the scene of Qiu Jin training with her cousin (who is played by Rae’s real cousin Hans), so it was great returning to one of our shooting locations. Our actress Li Jing attended the [...]

    Posted on March 16, 2011 in General, News, Screenings | No comments

  17. Miramar College Screening Recap

    Our first major public screening was at Adam’s high school in San Diego back in May 2009. On Friday we returned to his home turf for another event, this time at Miramar College. We had a fantastic turnout of students, faculty, community members, and even some of Adam’s elementary school classmates from Spreckels! Thanks to [...]

    Posted on March 16, 2011 in General, Screenings, Travel | No comments

  18. Torrance Public Library Screening Recap

    Second stop on our Southern California tour was the Torrance Public Library. Rae was born in Torrance, and the screening was held the day before her birthday, March 9, which happens to be Adam’s birthday! Yes, we’re both Pisces, and this year is also Adam’s Year of the Rabbit, so we’re looking forward to being [...]

    Posted on March 16, 2011 in General, Screenings, Travel | No comments

  19. UC Riverside Screening Recap

    On Monday we headed down to Southern California for another week of screenings. Around this time a year ago we were at UC Irvine, where Professor Hu Ying, one of the scholars in the film, had invited us to show it. This time, we travelled inland to UC Riverside, where we were hosted by the [...]

    Posted on March 14, 2011 in General, Screenings, Travel | No comments

  20. 2011 Winter Update

    The plum blossom’s icy beauty defies the aggression of snow and frost. Refusing to decorate jade palaces, she adorns an ancient peak. Her sublimity lies in her independence. – Qiu Jin (translation by Kang-i Sun Chang and Haun Saussy) Happy Year of the Rabbit! We have some great developments this year as we continue to [...]

    Posted on February 25, 2011 in General | No comments

  21. AAUW Morgan Hill Screening Recap

    Back in March 2010, we had a screening at the Willow Glen Library sponsored by the San Jose branch of the American Association of University Women. After a successful event, the organizers promoted the film to other AAUW chapters, and soon afterwards we were contacted by Peggy Thompson from the Morgan Hill branch, who along [...]

    Posted on January 24, 2011 in General, Screenings | No comments

  22. Autumn Gem Coming To University of Texas, San Antonio

    Autumn Gem is featured in UTSA Today, the online newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio. We’ll be screening there on Sunday, November 13, 2010 from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm. Here’s the article, copied below. UTSA East Asia Institute to screen documentary on China’s first feminist By Kris Rodriguez Public Affairs Specialist [...]

    Posted on November 11, 2010 in General, Media, News, Screenings | No comments

  23. USC Screening Recap

    Our last screening on this Fall SoCal 2010 tour was held at the University of Southern California. I think the last time I was on campus was back in high school, when my school did a tour of West Coast colleges and universities. Our sponsor was the USC US-China Institute, with Clayton Dube, Linda Truong, [...]

    Posted on November 1, 2010 in General, Screenings | No comments

  24. Association for Asian Studies Western Conference Screening Recap

    The 48th annual Western Conference of the Association for Asian Studies was held between October 22-23 at California State University, Northridge. The theme of this year’s conference was “Translating Asia: Past, Present, & Future.” Northridge experienced a large 6.7 magnitude earthquake back in January 17, 1994. I may be mixing up my earthquakes, but I [...]

    Posted on October 24, 2010 in General, Screenings, Travel | No comments

  25. Chinese Association of Victoria Screening

    On Sunday night, we had a screening at the Chinese Association of Victoria. In the late afternoon, Rae and I took the train from Flinders Station to Wantirna, a suburb of Melbourne. Lillian and Rex Lai picked us up from Blackburn Station and drove us to the CAV. The association was founded back in 1982 [...]

    Posted on September 26, 2010 in General, Screenings, Travel | No comments