MCLC: Li Xianting Film School closed

[Denton, Kirk]

MCLC LIST
From: kirk (denton.2 at osu.edu)
Subject: Li Xianting Film School closed
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Source: Radio Netherlands (7/14/13):
http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/independent-thinking-not-encouraged-china
s-film-schools

Independent thinking "not encouraged" in China's film schools

The Chinese authorities have put an abrupt end to a training programme for
aspiring independent filmmakers. And there’s still no official explanation
why the 9th Edition of the Li Xianting Film School in Beijing was closed
down a day before it was due to begin.

The school’s courses are specifically designed for Chinese circumstances.
They encourage creative and independent thinking and help students develop
their skills. Last week, more than 20 policemen came to the school and
forcibly transferred the teachers and students to a hotel in Tongzhou, a
district on the outskirts of Beijing. The next day, the police sent a
coach with instructions to take the students home.

Not giving up

Wang Wo, independent filmmaker and lecturer at Li Xianting Film School,
told RNW that no convincing explanation has been given for the move. “We
were told that the school didn’t have a valid certificate to operate. But
we have already held 8 previous editions, and didn’t run into problems.
Perhaps the matter is too complicated, and we just can’t put our finger on
the problem.” Despite being evicted, the teachers and students are not
giving up. ”The only thing we know is that we’ll go on with the training
programme as planned,” said Wang Wo.

Showing support

At the same time, students and alumni started a campaign on the Chinese
social networking site Weibo, to show their support for the film school.
They expressed both their affection for the school and their protest
against the authorities ’action in writing on their bodies. They then took
pictures of themselves and posted them on Weibo.

None of the students or teachers agreed to return home after the eviction.
The school found a location in Hebei Province and the programme has been
resumed. “We’re deeply touched. We feared they would leave after the
incident. But not a single person went away,” Wang told RNW.

Freedom to imagine

The school’s positive attitude to creativity and independence is not one
generally encouraged in China. “Contemporary Chinese independent films are
in fact what we called ten years ago ‘underground films’. They are
different from Western independent films,” explains Wang. “Unlike
mainstream film schools, we offer our students an opportunity to think and
imagine freely. It is human nature to think and imagine. As long as there
is an opportunity, people start thinking. I’m not saying that mainstream
film schools don’t train their students to think independently. But they
don’t put an emphasis on this mode of thinking. Some of them even avoid
this topic all together.”

The film school aims to be as accessible as possible to potential
students. Unfortunately it’s not feasible to offer free training says
Wang. “We need money for teaching facilities, accommodation and staff. But
if people come to the lectures, they’re welcome to listen for free.”

Closer control

Li Xianting, the founder of the film school, is very upset by the sudden
suspension, says Wang, who is pessimistic about the future of China’s
independent film industry. “Nobody knows what will take place in the
future. It’s not only the school. We feel that the government has
tightened its control on cultural matters in general.”

“When the police came to the school, they mentioned the upcoming Beijing
Independent Film Festival, and suggested that we should stop it as well.
We haven’t come up with a response yet, but we’ll run into problems again
this year. This is for sure.” Wang added.

Both the Beijing Independent Film Festival (BIFF) and the film school are
funded by the Li Xianting Film Foundation. Last year’s BIFF was forced to
close when power was cut half an hour after it opened. The biannual Yunnan
Multi Culture Visual Festival <http://www.yunfest.org/> also cancelled its
public screening this March. The biannual festival which launched in 2003
was China’s first and most influential documentary film festival.

==============================
Li Xianting is a renowned independent art critic and curator of
contemporary Chinese art, sometimes he is referred to as the Godfather of
Chinese contemporary art. His Film Fund school was founded in 2009. It is
a non-profit organisation offering training programmes to independent
filmmakers in China.

Since its foundation, the film school has held two or three training
editions annually for students of various backgrounds and age. The number
of participants ranges from 10 to more than 30. The 9th edition began on
July 7 and ends on August 15. The tuition fee for the 40-day program is
roughly $800.
==============================