AsiaLENS
AEMS Documentary and Independent Film Series
at the Spurlock Museum
AsiaLENS is a series of free public film screenings and lecture / discussion programs -- organized by AEMS in collaboration with Spurlock Museum -- presenting recent documentary and independent films on issues reflecting contemporary life in Asia.
Local and visiting experts introduce the films and lead audiences in post-screening discussions.
All AsiaLENS screenings are FREE and open to the public.
Spurlock Museum screenings are held the second Tuesdays of September, October, and November for Fall 2014. The Spurlock Museum is located at 600 S. Gregory Street, Urbana, IL.
Full schedule for Fall 2014 is listed below.
Information on past screenings:Fall 2008, Spring 2009, Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Fall 2010, Spring 2011, Fall 2011, Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Spring 2013, Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Fall 2014
AsiaLENS Upcoming Spring 2015 Calendar:
Embrace
Tuesday, February 10, 2015 - 7:00 pm
Spurlock Museum, 600 S. Gregory Street, Urbana, IL
Buddhism after the Tsunami
Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - 7:00 pm
Spurlock Museum, 600 S. Gregory Street, Urbana IL
Pictures from a Hiroshima Schoolyard
Tuesday, April 14, 2015 - 7:00 pm
Spurlock Museum, 600 S. Gregory Street, Urbana, IL
Embrace
A film by Dan Smyer Yu and Pema Tashi. 2011. 55 minutes. In Chinese and English with English subtitles.
Tuesday, February 10, 2015 - 7:00 pm
Spurlock Museum, Knight Auditorium, 600 S. Gregory Street, Urbana, IL
Introduction and post screening discussion facilitated by Dr. Alexander Mayer (Associate Professor, Religion and East Asian Languages and Culture).
Description:
Through the narratives of a father and a son, two tantric yogis of two generations, this film illustrates both the transcendental and inter-sentient dimensions of Tibetan sacred sites and of their ecological significance. It documents a ritualized relationship of people and the place of their dwelling and natural surroundings.
Resources:
For more information or to purchase, visit the Director's blog.
View the trailer on Vimeo.
Reviews:
Asian Educational Media Service
From the Filmmaker:
A blog entry with reflections on filming by Dan Smyer Yu, from the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity website.
Buddhism after the Tsunami -
The Souls of Zen 3/11 Japan Special
A film by Tim Graf and Jakob Montrasio. 2012. 63 minutes. In Japanese and English, with English subtitles.
Tuesday, March 10, 2015 -7:00 pm
Spurlock Museum, Knight Auditorium, 600 S. Gregory Street, Urbana, IL
Introduction and post screening discussion led by Brian Ruppert (Associate Professor, Religion and East Asian Language and Culture).
Description:
This documentary film follows Buddhist priests through the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami that killed nearly 20,000 people in Japan in March 2011. Buddhism After the Tsunami presents perspectives on the important roles Buddhism played in the care of those lost and bereaved in the aftermath of 3/11.
Resources:
For more information including contact and distribution, visit the Souls of Zen official website.
Purchase also available on Vimeo.
Stay up-to-date on Souls of Zen's Facebook.
Reviews:
Asian Educational Media Service
Pictures from a Hiroshima Schoolyard
Written and Directed by Bryan Reichhardt, Produced by Shizumi Shigeto Manale. 2013. 85 minutes.
Tuesday, April 14, 2015 - 7:00 pm
Spurlock Museum, 600 S. Gregory Street, Urbana, IL
Introduction and discussion led by Robert Tierney (Associate Professor, Director of Graduate Studies, East Asian Languages and Cultures, Comparitive and World Literatures) and Hiromi Matsushita (Buddhist Priest, former personnel manager USB, Tokyo).
Description:
Pictures drawn by Hiroshima school children, living in the aftermath of the atomic bomb, are discovered deep inside a church in Washington DC. A gift of thanks for supplies donated in 1947, these beautiful, surprisingly happy pictures are restored in 2009 and taken back to Hiroshima for a special exhibit attended by the surviving artists who drew them. This is a film about hope in the face of horror, the power of reconciliation and the unwavering optimism of children.
Resources:
Visit the film webpage for information on purchasing, film blog, and an image gallery of art featured in the film.
Click here for a full synopsis, including major character bios.
Reviews:
Asian Educational Media Service
From the Producers:
For a letter from the producers as well as bios, click here.
Last Updated December 4, 2014.
