There’s a good article on Qiu Jin by Nima RÉJA. It’s in French and recounts Qiu Jin’s life in great detail. The author also mentions Autumn Gem.
A sidenote, the actress who portrayed Qiu Jin, Li Jing, had a role in the Oscar winning movie from 2022, Everything Everywhere All at Once. She plays the Kung Fu Master in the film. Check it out!
On March 8, 2018, the New York Times, in celebration of International Women’s Day, published an overlooked obituary on Qiu Jin. Check it out!
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.
On Thursday, March 14, we’ll be showing the film at the San Ramon Public Library. This will be our last scheduled screening, as we’ll be focusing more on promoting the AUTUMN GEM iBook in the future. If you haven’t had a chance to see the film, come out and join us at this free event! The San Ramon Branch of AAUW is sponsoring the screening.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
7:00pm
San Ramon Public Library
100 Montgomery St.
San Ramon, CA 94583
I will be presenting on a panel at the Women’s History in the Digital World conference, to be held at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania March 22-23.
“The Women’s History in the Digital World conference brings together scholars working on women’s history projects with a digital component, exploring the complexities of creating, managing, researching and teaching with digital resources.”
This is an especially timely topic as we’ve been seeing the convergence of education and technology recently. Please help spread the word about this event to your friends and colleagues. If you are in the Bryn Mawr area, come by and check it out!
Women’s History in the Digital World Conference
March 22-23, 2013
Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010-2899
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。
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, attitudes towards feminism (whether one identifies as such or not), and the contemporary women’s movement in China.
We had a wonderful time interacting with audience members and getting their thoughts on our work. Interestingly, the exhibit also attracted a large contingent of people gathered outside who were participating in a rally protesting the Japanese takeover of a group of islands also claimed by China (a very contentious issue amongst Chinese at home and abroad). It was fascinating to hear the wide range of reactions to issues addressed in the exhibit, including gender transgressions, LGBTQ identities, and sexual discrimination from these viewers who came upon the show by chance.
The day before the opening, we attended a press event at the gallery and participated in a group dialogue with Professor Lenore Metrick-Chen, an Art and Cultural Historian from Drake University in Iowa. The exhibit was also featured in a news segment on KTSF Channel 26, a local TV station serving the Asian community. Our AUTUMN GEM posters are featured in the opening shots of the segment – check out the video clip below!
It was great meeting the other artists for the first time and seeing the threads connecting our work. Engaging with them was an eye-opening and enlightening experience, and definitely gave us a new perspective on our own project.
The WOMEN我們 Exhibit runs through November 30, 2012, so be sure to check it out and invite your friends. Click on the link below to view the news segment and photos from the opening reception!
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, and installation art by female, male, and LGBTQ artists explore the themes of visibility, authority, and possibility within gendered spaces.
WOMEN我們 will be on view from September 15 – November 30, 2012. Join us for the opening reception on Saturday, September 15, 1:00-4:00 with artists panel at 2:00pm. Free and open to the public!
Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco
750 Kearny St., 3rd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94108
http://www.c-c-c.org/2012/07/25/women我們-feminism-lgbtq-asian-american-asian-art/
Back in early March we were interviewed by the World Journal regarding our Bay Area library screenings and upcoming AUTUMN GEM iBook.
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
Here is the World Journal newspaper’s coverage of our screening at History Park San Jose on April 29.
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?
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, Dublin), South Bay (Cupertino, Los Altos, San Jose, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Campbell), and San Francisco.
You can view our full screening schedule here:
https://autumn-gem.com/screenings/
Please pass the word to your friends and family. We hope to see you at one of our local events!
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, it was nice to have some local screenings for a change. The Santa Clara library is five minutes from our house and is the library that we personally go to. Both screenings had very enthusiastic crowds who posed many questions when the lights came back up. We’ve been showing a version of the film that has Chinese subtitles during the spoken English sections. We’ve been working on this version for the past several months in anticipation of our Hong Kong trip.
We’ll be scheduling more screenings at local libraries around the Bay Area in 2012. Check our screenings page for a full list or join our mailing list to get quarterly updates.
And now for some photos from Santa Clara and Hayward.
Autumn Gem 