Introduction + Invitation

[Rhidian Davis]

Name: Rhidian Davis
Institutional affiliation or job: Curator, Public Programmes, BFI Southbank (formerly National Film Theatre)
City and country: London, UK
Research projects or publications: N/A
Interests with regard to Japanese film and moving image media: The establishment the EACRN (East Asian Cinema Research Network)

Dear All,

Good to make contact with you. I work (as above) in London at the expanded venue formerly known as the National Film Theatre. Principally I programme talks and events contextualising our major retrospective Cinema seasons, Mediatheque archive programmes and Gallery installations.

In July we will screen a significant season of films by Mikio Naruse, programmed in collaboration with James Quandt (Cinematheque Ontario). You can find full details here: http://www.bfi.org.uk/whatson/southbank/seasons/naruse/

The season will mark the first UK showing of three prints, recently restored by the BFI: Late Chrysanthemums (Bangiku), Floating Clouds (Ukigumo) and When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (Onna ga Kaidan o agaru toki).  When a Woman Ascends the Stairs will screen for two weeks from 29 June - 12 July 2007 in a special extended run at BFI Southbank.   

In addition, the Mikio Naruse season will form the basis of a new BFI Education initiative. The long-term aim is to create a series of research networks to programme and contextualise the BFI's film seasons.  Mikio Naruse will mark the launch of the East Asian Cinema Research Network (EACRN), the first of these academic networks.

The aim is to connect the knowledge base of individuals and existing networks with our programme and provide opportunities for social networking and ideas exchange at events based at the venue. It is hoped that the collaboration of researchers across the cinemas of East Asia will lead to new transnational programming and interpretation strategies, which could ultimately form the basis of future seasons, talks and symposia at the venue.  One of the principal aims of the EACRN is to reduce isolation amongst postgraduate researchers and freelancers and to give existing networks a London-based hub for meeting and discussion.

The first EACRN meeting with be a reception for the academic Catherine Russell, Professor of Film Studies at Concordia University, following her lecture 'Mikio Naruse: The Auteur as Salaryman' on Wed 4 Jul at 18:00. Other events are planned during the season, which will culminate in an Open Forum discussing the season on Tue 31 July, which can be steered by members of the EACRN.

I do hope that you feel this post might be relevant to you or your associates. While the events will be mostly of interest to London and UK-based researchers, I would welcome expressions of interest from all parties. One of the early tasks of the network will be a mapping exercise to look at existing infrastructures serving these research communities and how the BFI canmost effectively work with them.

Please email education at bfi.org.uk for more information.


Rhidian Davis  |  Education Curator - Public Programmes 
BFI Southbank  |  Belvedere Road  |  South Bank  |  London SE1 8XT
tel: +44 (0)20 7849 4474 - direct line (ext. 4474)  |  fax: +44 (0)20 7815 1378  | www.bfi.org.uk

> At BFI Southbank in June, we bring our two-month Roberto Rossellini season to a close, revisit the work of American independent auteur, John Cassavetes, and celebrate 60 years of the Cannes Film Festival. From 23 June we present two brand new installations from Lynette Wallworth in the Gallery - Hold: Vessel 1 & 2 - and we revive the spirit of 1977 with Anarchy in the UK in the Mediatheque. At the BFI IMAX we open Dinosaurs 3D: Giants of Patagonia on 29 June. And don't forget to vote in our online poll '100 Black Screen Icons'. Go to www.100blackscreenicons.com to cast your vote> .
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