Speaker Bio
Rae Chang is a filmmaker based in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 2009 she and her husband, Adam Tow, completed the documentary feature AUTUMN GEM: The Story of Modern China's First Feminist. It was screened at over 120 venues worldwide, including Stanford University, UC Berkeley, Princeton, Brown, University of Maryland, University of British Columbia, and University of Hong Kong. They have presented at the 2011 Association for Asian Studies Annual Conference, 2010 Western Conference of the Association for Asian Studies, Tenth International Women in Asia Conference at Australian National University, and 2009 USChina Peoples Friendship Association National Conference.
Abstract
With all my heart I beseech and beg my two hundred million female compatriots to assume their responsibility as citizens. Arise! Arise! Chinese women, arise!" - Qiu Jin The story of the Chinese revolutionary martyr Qiu Jin comes to life in an interactive textbook for the iPad. A key figure in China's nascent feminist and nationalist movements, Qiu Jin (1875-1907) boldly spoke out against foot binding and other oppressive practices and demanded equal opportunities for women. She attempted an armed uprising against the Qing Dynasty and became the first female martyr for China's 1911 Revolution. Qiu Jin is celebrated as a national heroine today. Based on an original documentary film, the AUTUMN GEM iBook uses narrative text, video clips of scholar interviews, dramatic reenactments based on Qiu Jin's original writings, and image galleries to explore the life and work of Qiu Jin and her significance in the history of the women's movement in China. We will discuss our creative process as artists working in an emerging electronic book format, spotlighting the potential of digital media publishing as a new distribution avenue for authors, artists, and filmmakers. The presentation will be illustrated by a demonstration of the interactive features of the textbook.
AUTUMN GEM: The Story of Modern China’s First Feminist Interactive Textbook
With all my heart I beseech and beg my two hundred million female compatriots to assume their responsibility as citizens. Arise! Arise! Chinese women, arise!" - Qiu Jin The story of the Chinese revolutionary martyr Qiu Jin comes to life in an interactive textbook for the iPad. A key figure in China's nascent feminist and nationalist movements, Qiu Jin (1875-1907) boldly spoke out against foot binding and other oppressive practices and demanded equal opportunities for women. She attempted an armed uprising against the Qing Dynasty and became the first female martyr for China's 1911 Revolution. Qiu Jin is celebrated as a national heroine today. Based on an original documentary film, the AUTUMN GEM iBook uses narrative text, video clips of scholar interviews, dramatic reenactments based on Qiu Jin's original writings, and image galleries to explore the life and work of Qiu Jin and her significance in the history of the women's movement in China. We will discuss our creative process as artists working in an emerging electronic book format, spotlighting the potential of digital media publishing as a new distribution avenue for authors, artists, and filmmakers. The presentation will be illustrated by a demonstration of the interactive features of the textbook.