The Pain of Chinese Society: On the New Documentary Movement

Speaker: CHINA BROWN BAG SERIES, SPRING 2009 Xinyu Lu In the age of transnational media and circulation, the New Documentary Movement in China has emerged as an important medium in examining some of the social, political, and historical disjunctions in contemporary Chinese society. The New Documentary Movement can be seen as integral part of those social developments and also as part of a historical movement. The documentary filmmakers use their style to maintain a dialogue with society. This dialogue includes investigation, interpretation, and intervention. The significance of the New Documentary Film Movement lies in the activist engagement of the filmmakers with the emotional and living conditions of Chinese people in all walks of life.