Gender, Orientalism, and Transnational Chinese Cinemas
This course examines images of China and the Chinese on the silver screen with special attention to the transnational connections in filmmaking and gender representations. Starting with the Orientalist portrayals of China in European and Hollywood films, it moves on to survey the self- orientalization or internal Orientalism in Chinese-language cinemas from the mainland, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, engaging with topics including the “new woman,” ethnic minorities, masculinity and nationalism in Kungfu films, homosexuality, censorship and global capitalism, and independent/underground filmmaking. Approaches of film analyses, post-colonial studies, and gender/sexuality theories will be introduced throughout the course. This course is taught in English, with all films subtitled in English. No knowledge of Chinese or prior coursework in Chinese culture or film is required.