In 2011, we celebrated the Chinese New Year with yet another blockbuster by director Feng Xiaogang, Aftershock, a historical epic depicting the tragic events of the Great Tangshan Earthquake in 1976. Combining big-budget special effects with unwavering domestic melodrama, there possibly wasn’t a dry eye in the house at the end of the screening in Cinema 1. The rest of the year followed with an eclectic programme of films and collaborations with other cultural institutions in Manchester, something that was beginning to evolve steadily as our track record developed. The year culminated with an exciting season of films programmed by Sarah Perks and Andy Willis for the Asia Triennial Manchester 11 Film Programme, which included a number of UK premieres.

Aftershock (Feng Xiaogang, China 2010)
With Talk/Feng Xiaogang and the Chinese New Year Blockbuster, by Dr Felicia Chan, University of Manchester
8 February 2011

Piccadilly (E.A. Dupont, Great Britain 1929)
With Talk/Beyond Dragon Ladies and Butterflies: Anna May Wong’s Stardom, by Mina Suder
5 April 2011

Hollywood Chinese Double Bill
12 April 2011
The Curse of Quon Gwon (Marion Wong, USA 1916–17)
Hollywood Chinese (Arthur Dong, USA 2008)

China Close Up
In association with the Centre for Chinese Studies, University of Manchester
17 May 2011
Documentary screening + panel discussion
Brave Father (Li Junhu, China 2007)
Changing Mask: A Letter to Antonioni (Pan Jun, China 2007)

Asia Triennial Manchester 11 Film Programme
1 October to 26 November 2011
Curated by Sarah Perks and Dr Andy Willis
Gallants (Clement Cheng and Derek Kwok, Hong Kong 2010), with Q&A
The Stool Pigeon (Dante Lam, Hong Kong 2010) — UK Premiere
Under the Hawthorn Tree (Zhang Yimou, China 2010) — UK Premiere
Hotel Black Cat (Herb Hsu Li-wen, Taiwan 2010), with Q&A
Double Bill: Quattro Hong Kong I & II, a series of short films — UK Premiere