Ball State University's Celebration of Chinese Cinema will begin tonight with "Gun With Love," the first of three award-winning films to be shown this week.
The celebration is sponsored by the College of Communication, Information and Media, along with the Asian Studies Committee and Freshmen Connections. All films, which will be shown at 7:30 p.m. in Pruis Hall, are free and open to the public.
"The films provide us an opportunity to show great filmmaking and great storytelling but also to help in terms of cultural understanding," said Jacquelyn Buckrop, CCIM associate dean.
The Celebration of Chinese Cinema is one of multiple events that will raise awareness during the Focus on Asia and Asian American Awareness Month. Nihal Perera, director of Asian Studies, said focusing on Asian cultures is significant on the Ball State campus.
"It's pretty important to draw the attention to that part of the world, and that's what we're trying to do," Perera said.
The Celebration of Chinese Cinema films - all of which are in Mandarin with English subtitles - will focus on issues such as family life and political culture, Buckrop said. Attendance vouchers will be provided for those who are attending for class credit.
"Gun With Love," directed by Li Xin, focuses on the story of a family that is torn apart by mistrust when three brothers take different sides during the civil war. The mystery follows a man on his quest to find and kill the man who assassinated his older brother.
The Celebration of Chinese Cinema will continue Wednesday with "The Postmen in the Mountains," directed by Huo Jianqi. The story, which takes place in the remote mountains of Hunan, features a man who hands over his life's work to his son.
Thursday's event will feature the movie "All About My Stepmother," directed by Ma Huiwu. The story tells about one woman who must dedicate all her efforts to creating a comfortable life for herself and her village after her husband leaves her behind to find a new life in the city.
The films display quality cinematography and help to provide greater cultural awareness in an entertaining way, Buckrop said.
"Particularly in Muncie, a lot of students don't have an opportunity to be exposed to a lot of international films," she said.
The films also relate well to viewers because their stories are understandable, she said.
"To see how they are portrayed by different cultures, to see them in a different setting, is both entertaining and enlightening," Buckrop said.
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