Screening of Stormy Night (Fengyu zhi Ye, 1925) About the Film: Stormy Night was recently discovered in the personal collection of the famous Japanese director Teinosuke Kinugasa. Since the title credits and the first ten minutes were missing, it took several years for Chinese film scholars to identify the film. The film had its first public screening in China in April 2018. Afterwards, it has only been shown a couple of times in China and Japan to selected audiences. Given that less than 20 Chinese films (including surviving segments) from the 1920s are extant (and only 9 of which exceed an hour), the discovery of Stormy Night cannot be more precious for the field of Chinese film history and film lovers more generally. The film recounts the story of a married couple who, through temptations and struggles, gradually learn to appreciate their relationship. The intricacy of the narrative and impressive camera movements distinguish this film from other surviving ones. About the Filmmaker: The director Shouju ZHU (1892-1962) is best known as a writer of the Mandarin Duck and Butterfly School. His novel Tides of Huangpu enjoyed immense popularity in early Republican China. Less mentioned, however, is his great contribution to Chinese cinema. As one of the pioneers of Chinese film industry, Zhu started two film companies in Shanghai in the early 1920s. He also wrote numerous film scripts throughout his career. Stormy Night is the only extant film made by him. About the Presenter: Chuan SHI (Professor at Shanghai Theater Academy, Vice Chair of Shanghai Film Association): He has been deeply involved in the identification and restoration process of the film, and has done significant research on the film. He is entrusted by director Zhu Shouju’s son to present the film in public. |