Documentary 1:
A Chinese-American needle painting artist talks about his patriotism--A Story about Yang Yixin
Yang Yixin is a Chinese-American needle painting artist. His works have delicate stitches and complex tones, and the story of the artist himself is as touching as his works are.
Yang Yixin's brother died in the turmoil during the Cultural Revolution in China. In order to escape the political climate at that time, their family moved to Hong Kong and then moved to the United States. When I asked about the specific reasons and details of his family's story, Yang Yixin did not directly answer my question, but sang a Chinese patriotic song. He sang to express his unwillingness to look back on the pain of the past.
Like most Chinese Americans who left China in the 1980s, Yang Yixin has witnessed the changes in China since the late 1970s. He was pleased with China’s economic leap in the early 20th century and the improvement of people’s lives. Everything seemed to usher in a new life. Therefore, he hopes to return to his homeland. He hopes that his artistic talents can contribute to the construction of the motherland.
In front of me, the 1.8-meter-tall gentleman, Mr.Yang, shed tears while singing "I love you, China"...
I think the meaning of Yang Yixin's tears is vague.
Is he crying after his dead brother, crying for his bloody youth during the Cultural Revolution, or the ups and downs that life brought to his family;
Is he crying for his patriotic desire got no respond in the previous period, or the joy of returning to his homeland... Maybe, his Tears contain all these questions …
（Running time: 17 minutes; My creative role: Journalist, Researcher & Interviewer）
Documentary 2:
A playwright from the revolutionary period discusses his revolutionary works -- Creation Background of the Film, "Wedding on the Execution Ground" -- Interview with the Script Writer, Zhang Yisheng
Contemporary Chinese films and literary works are roughly divided into three phases:
1. "Revolutionary opera"
The "Revolutionary opera" in the Mao Zedong period. The literary and artistic works at this stage are all works praising the Chinese Communist Party's victory in the war. Most of the stories are about patriots who sacrificed their lives for the country. Their deeds are spread through the media of movies and novels and become powerful tools for political propaganda.
2. "Root- Seeking Literature" & "Scar Literature"
During the period of the Chinese Economic Reform in 1979, with the opening up of China's economy, artistic creation became more open and enlightened in concept and ideology. During this period, film artists began to reflect and criticize the turmoil and tragedy that had been caused by politics in Chinese history, so there were "root-seeking literature" and "scar literature".
3. "Telling Good Story for China"
At the current stage, Government of China is committed to "Telling Good Story about China." A large number of myths, urban or court romance films, and spy films have recently emerged in the Chinese film industry. None of them will directly conflict with the current sensitive political propaganda.
In this documentary of “The Creation Background of the Film, "Wedding on the Execution Ground”, audiences can know more about how the script writer, in the first phase, wrote a story about a patriotic hero who sacrificed herself for the country, and it matched the political education and propaganda purpose of that period.
（Running time: 17 minutes; My creative role: Journalist, Researcher & Interviewer）
Still Pictures, A Story about A playwright, Zhang Yisheng
