Acknowledged as the first Chinese-American film ever made, this 97-year old production is a well-crafted love drama that was scripted, directed and produced by a talented film pioneer named Marion Wong, who also acted as the villainess in the film. She brought with her an entire Chinese cast from her family circle with her  sister-in-law Violet Wong playing the female lead. She played a newly-wed wife whose westernised dress up and behavior clashed strongly with the traditional Chinese customs, and was cast out of the family and only reunited with her husband after much sufferings. The film was made in 1916 in Oakland with 35mm nitrate stock and was kept at Violet’s cellar until it was allotted to the care of Violet’s grandson Gregory Yee Mark in 1968. Only two reels of the 7-reel production survived and all intertitles were lost. With the help of filmmaker Arthur Dong, the film was rediscovered and restored in 2005 by the Academy Film Archive. It was also chosen in 2006 as one of the entries on the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry. Gregory Yee Mark will be present to talk about the history and cultural essence of the film and his family.

Screening Courtesy of the Academy Film Archive

21/3*

(Fri)

7:30pm

Cinema, Hong Kong Film Archive

23/3

(Sun)

2:30pm

Cinema, Hong Kong Film Archive

* Post-screening talk with Gregory Yee Mark