Cinema at the Periphery: world cinema studies articles and videos

Diposting oleh good reading on Sabtu, 24 April 2010

Sequence from Morvern Callar (Lynne Ramsay, featuring Samantha Morton as Morvern and the psychedelic song 'Some Velvet Morning' written by Lee Hazlewood in 1967 and performed by Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra (for more on Ramsay's great film, see Scott Tobias, 'The New Cult Canon: Morvern Callar', The A.V. Club, February 27, 2008; as well as John Caughie, 'The Angel's Share: Morvern Callar and the Difficulty of Art Cinema', video also linked to below)

With Spring (and a spring) in its step, Film Studies For Free brings you a whole, golden, host of articles as well as little video tasters to the work of some of the world's leading film scholars on the topic of international (and/or 'interstitial', or 'transnational', or 'peripheral') cinema.

The videos are recordings of presentations from the Cinema at the Periphery conference held at the University of St Andrews between June 15th and June 17th 2006. While those external to that university can only see the first ten minutes of each presentation, they're still very informative, and showcase, in miniature at least, some brilliant film studies research.

They've been newly publicised on the occasion of the publication of the conference book Cinema at the Periphery by Wayne State University Press, part of its series on Contemporary Approaches to Film and Television, under the general editorship of Barry Keith Grant. The book is edited by Dina Iordanova, David Martin-Jones, and Belén Vidal.

As FSFF always endeavours to add value to the free resources it links to, it decided also to assemble an accompanying list of related, high quality, freely accessible, online articles:

The clips can be viewed using Quicktime player 7, VLC player or similar MP4 player. Just click on the pictures to access.
The clips are currently set to stream at a quality of medium (512Kbps) - they are also available to watch as low (56Kbps) or high (2Mbps)

Dina Iordanova and Keith Brown
Dina Iordanova and Keith Brown
University of St Andrews
“Introduction and welcome”
(8min 16sec)
Mette Hjort
Mette Hjort
Lignan University, Hong Kong
“Homophilic Transnationalism: The 'Advance Party' Initiative”

Rod Stoneman
Rod Stoneman
Huston School of Film & Digital Media, Galway, Ireland
“Dimpsey at the Edge”

Duncan Petrie
Duncan Petrie
University of Auckland, New Zealand
“Small National Cinemas in an Era of Globalisation”

Sheldon Lu
Sheldon Lu
University of California at Davis, USA
“Emerging from Underground and the Periphery: Independent Cinema in Contemporary China”

Lucia Nagib
Lucia Nagib
Leeds University, UK
“Japanese Cinema and Local Modernity”

Laura U. Marks
Laura U. Marks
Simon Fraser University, Canada
“Geopolitics Hides Something in the Image; Arab Cinema Unfolds Something Else”

Faye Ginsburg
Faye Ginsburg
New York University, USA
“Black Screens and Cultural Citizenship”

Dudley Andrew
Dudley Andrew
Yale University, USA
“Turbulent Waves, Stagnant Seas: Awash in World Cinema”

Bill Marshall
Bill Marshall
University of Glasgow, UK
“Deleuze, Quebec and Cinemas of Minor Frenchness”

John Caughie
John Caughie
University of Glasgow, UK
“The Angel's Share: Morvern Callar and the Difficulty of Art Cinema”

Pam Cook
Pam Cook
University of Southampton, UK
“Out from Down Under: Baz Luhrmann and Australian Cinema”

Patricia Pisters
Patricia Pisters
University of Amsterdam, Netherlands
“Filming Tanger: Migratory Identities in North Africa”

Hamid Naficy
Hamid Naficy
Rice University, USA
“Interstitial, Transnational, and National-Iranian Silent Cinema”

Kristian Feigelson
Kristian Feigelson
Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris, France
“A Visual Map of the Film World”
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FEED A COLD: ANCIENT CHINESE CURE FOR A SORE THROAT

Diposting oleh good reading on Jumat, 23 April 2010

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Ancient Chinese Secret Clay Steaming  Cups…
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haha! actually, they’re only a few years old.  I purchased them in Chinatown in Vancouver and they merely look rustic.

My maternal grandmother had a set of these and my mother has her own set.  They are a distinctly southern tradition and can be found in Asian bakeries around town in Metro Vancouver. BTW, check out my paternal grandfather’s heritage village area (our particular village in Kaiping (Hoiping) is called Xicun( “Shrimp Village”)…it made the UNESCO list of heritage sites!  cool eh? 
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These clay molds, or “buut jai” are similar to muffin tins and are specifically designed for a Chinese sweet made of rice flour and sugar.   When I was young and living with my maternal grandmother, Poh Poh,  during the summers after my grandfather passed away,  I ate many a confection made entirely of sugar and rice flour.  This particular sweet is close to my heart as it is comforting.
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As with all homey desserts, this one lacks in pizzazz and beauty.  However, it is a favourite among children.  The rice pudding cakes are slightly chewy if made properly and a little sweet but not cloyingly so.  The little cakes must have a belly button in my opinion—signifying that is has been made properly.  Otherwise, it’s a fake.  A farce.   haha.  Some people put red beans in theirs (uck!) or use brown sugar (meh!) but in our household, the clean lines, the empty belly button and the pure white Buut Jai Goh is da BOMB!
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My daughters have a sore throat and dry cough right now and there’s not much I can give them other than Manuka honey for the throat, green tea and some cough drops with even more manuka honey.   I recall when I was young, how eating Baak Tong Goh ("White Sugar Cake", a fermented kind of super sweet rice pudding cake) or a Buut Jai Goh would alleviate my sore throat.  The sticky rice pudding would coat the throat temporarily and it would make me feel all better for a little while.
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My maternal grandmother is no longer with us, and my mother was never one to make something from scratch if it could be purchased easily at a local bakery; but I sure have a passion for reliving the good ol’ days!   In a matter of an hour, I had these on a plate ready for my daughter to eat.  Bebe loved it and ate 2 right away.  Bib didn’t think much of it and declined them.  Her loss. 
click on for the recipe...

BUUT JAI GOH (Clay Bowl Steamed Sweet Rice Cakes)
  • 1 1/4 cup rice flour
  • 2 cups water
  • 2/3 cup sugar (or lightly packed brown sugar)
  • 1/2 cup cold water
  1. Prepare steamer:  preheat empty clay bowls (or small rice bowls) on high heat.  This recipe makes 15 cakes.  You may have to adjust for the size of your bowls.   [tip: I like to spray my bowls with Pam to allow for easier removal if the cakes later]
  2. In a large saucepan, combine the 2 cups water with the 2/3 cups sugar and heat until sugar is dissolved.  Allow to cool.
  3. In a large mixing bowl whisk the rice flour while slowly incorporating the 1/2 cup cold water.  The batter will be thick.
  4. Slowly pour the sugar mixture into the rice mixture, whisking to thoroughly combine.
  5. Carefully pour the mixture into the preheated clay bowls.
  6. Cover and steam for 20 minutes.  If you’ve done this right, you’ll get an indent in the centre; what I like to call a “belly-button” in the middle of your little cake.
  7. Important:  remove the clay bowls from the steamer and allow to cool on the counter for at least an hour or until set.  Use a wooden skewer to remove the cakes from the clay molds.   When cooled, store covered with plastic wrap at room temperature.  You can briefly resteam the cakes if you like to eat them a little warm.  I like mine at room temperature.
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Beefy Noodle Casserole

Diposting oleh good reading

You will need:
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4 oz. uncooked wide egg noodles
1 lb. ground chuck
1 jar of pasta sauce
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, cubed
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese (I ended up using just a sprinkle of Parmesan and about 1/2 cup of Mozzarella.)

1. Cook noodles. Place noodles in slightly greased 11 x 7 inch baking dish set aside.
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2. Cook beef in large skillet, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink. Stir in pasta sauce and set aside.
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3. Place cream cheese in bowl and microwave for 1 minute or until softened. Stir in cottage cheese and sour cream. Spread mixture over noodles.
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4. Spoon beef mixture over cream cheese layer. Sprinkle with Parmesan and Mozzarella.
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5. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes.
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From: Southern Living Quick & Easy
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Jerk Chicken Pasta

Diposting oleh good reading


Ingredients:

* 4 boneless chicken breasts
* 1/2 cup butter
* 4-5 garlic cloves, crushed
* 1 cup half-and-half
* 1/2 cup chicken broth
* 1 teaspoon cornstarch
* 1 teaspoon herbs, of your choice, rosemary, marjoram, oregano
* 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
* 1/2 stalk asparagus
* 8 ounces sliced mushrooms, pieces and stems
* 3 tablespoons parsley, crushed
* salt and pepper, to taste
* 8 ounces bow tie pasta

Directions:
  1. Melt butter in skillet over medium/low heat and add garlic.
  2. When garlic becomes fragrant add cayenne pepper and chicken (already cut up into small strips/slices or whole), increase heat.
  3. Cook until chicken is cooked to preferred tenderness. Remove chicken from pan, leaving the butter/garlic/cayenne mix.
  4. In a separate deep pan, fill pan 1/4 full of water. Place a drainer on top of the pan, add asparagus (cut up into 1 inch pieces). Cover. Steam for 5-10 minutes.
  5. In a secparate deep pan, cook angel hair pasta according to the package directions. Set aside.
  6. In a cup stir together half-and-half, chicken broth, and corn starch. Pour into skillet chicken was cooked inches
  7. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, then simmer for 3 minutes, constantly stirring.
  8. Stir in the parsley, herbs, mushrooms, and asparagus for 3-5 minutes to heat through and allow flavors to blend.
  9. Add chicken to heat through.
  10. Add pasta and stir to heat through.
  11. Serve.
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Audiovisual Thinking: Online Video Journal about Audiovisuality, Communication & Media

Diposting oleh good reading on Kamis, 22 April 2010



Film Studies For Free predicted at the beginning of this year that 2010 would be the year of the video essay. And thus it has come to pass... Woohoo!

Audiovisual Thinking -- an online video journal about "audiovisuality, communication and media" -- has just launched and it looks to FSFF to be a very worthwhile venture indeed. All relevant information has been pasted in below to tempt you to the excellent AT website. There are lots of introductory videos embedded there which will inform you audiovisually about the Audiovisual Thinking ethos.

Audiovisual Thinking has issued its first call for videos for its first proper issue which will explore the "legacy and merit of the use of audiovisual material in academic thinking, research and teaching, in the past, present and in the future" (deadline: June 15, 2010; do note: according to the submission form (as of April 22) the videos should be no longer than seven minutes and a maximum of [an as yet quite tiny] 10 Mb [Update: The editors reported to FSFF that they are working on achieving a larger, automated, upload volume. If you have larger submissions, these can be uploaded manually, so just get in touch with the editors via the website's contact page].

If you don't yet completely understand why FSFF is so pleased with this development, you should check out the following propaganda piece that it published last July: Video Essays on Films: A Multiprotagonist Manifesto. Also, do have a peruse of all the video essays embedded at FSFF, including this little one we prepared earlier (sadly, it's just a little longer than seven minutes and larger than 10Mb or 100Mb...).
About Audiovisual Thinking
Audiovisual Thinking is a pioneering forum where academics and educators can articulate, conceptualize and disseminate their research about audiovisuality and audiovisual culture through the medium of video.
     International in scope and multidisciplinary in approach, the purpose of Audiovisual Thinking is to develop and promote academic thinking in and about all aspects of audiovisuality and audiovisual culture.
    Advised by a board of leading academics and thinkers in the fields of audiovisuality, communication and the media, the journal seeks to set the standard for academic audiovisual essays now and in the future.
    Video submissions are welcome from all fields of study and, as one would expect, the main criteria for submissions are that the discussion and thinking are conveyed through audiovisual means.
Each issue of Audiovisual Thinking will call for and then showcase academic videos around a specific theme within audiovisual culture and the media. The journal also accepts ‘opinion’ or ‘reflective’ audiovisual pieces on any area of audiovisual research or pedagogy. 
    Submissions are welcome from the areas of the Arts, Journalism, Media and Communication studies, as well as Education and the Social Sciences where audiovisual material is routinely used, or is gaining ground, as an academic research tool or teaching method.
     This first issue will explore the legacy of audiovisual content in contemporary academic research and thinking. Submit your video here.
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Have A Snack

Diposting oleh good reading on Rabu, 21 April 2010

I will always pick up a bag of Tohato Caramel Corn snack whenever I drop by Daiso. You can get this snack at most supermarkets, but it's only at Daiso that you get to see a whole rack stock to the bream with colourful bags of caramel corns in different flavours. My kids love these caramel corns, so do I. It reminds me very much of 乖乖 (Kuai Kuai) a similar snack which I grew up eating ;')

Tohato caramel corn is light, airy and very crunchy. It is quite sweet, but, very addictive! Once a bag is opened, it is quite impossible for us to stop before every thing is gone (^^''')

These tasty snacks come in different flavours. Besides the 'original' or regular flavour, I have tasted strawberry, honey roasted peanuts (there are actually a small amount of roasted peanuts in the bag), vanilla ice cream and honey butter. Another thing I love about this snack is the attractive packaging with a cute face on it.


While I was doing my grocery shopping the other day, a sea of sweet pink bags caught my attention. Isn't this design lovely? How could one resist the facial expression on the bag? This is a new flavour I have yet to try. These peach flavoured corns come in 'dual tone', pink and white (pale yellow actually). Apparently it is designed for the Japanese Doll Festival, Hina-matsuri or Girls' Day, held in early March.


Sitting alongside the pink bags were these green ones...Matcha with Kuromitsu. Kuro means black and mitsu means honey, kuromitsu is a sugar syrup made from black sugar (kuro-zato), the famously healthy dark brown sugar produced in Okinawa. This 'limited edition' is available for a limited period only (as stated on the packing). Since I like anything matcha, this went into my shopping basket as well.



and here's my review:

The peach flavoured curly corns do have a very slight hint of peachy taste, the colours are pretty too. Whereas the matcha kuromitsu flavour ones are in a familiar matcha green...ie dull, greyish green. No matter how hard I tried, my untrained palette simply couldn't detect any matcha flavour. Nevertheless, it still taste lip-smacking good :[)

I guess only a junk food junkie like me would devote a post on this snack! Hope you didn't find it a waste of time dropping by here (*^^*)
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What a difference 3 miles makes.

Diposting oleh good reading

So yesterday (a day late, not bad) I had my third chemo day. This means I'm halfway done with this round (we'll just wait and see what comes next). The bigger news is the infusion center at the cancer center over in Berkeley is WAY different from the little infusion center at my doctor's office in Oakland. In every way other than actual distance they are miles apart. I'm not sure which I prefer, but I will say there is a boat load more bureaucratic bullshit at the Berkeley infusion center. I suppose it's unavoidable because it is just so much bigger, but holy cow- do I really need to give you my name and date of birth every time you bring over a new bag of cancer killing stuff (between premeds, chemo and Herceptin I have 8 different bags of crap)?!? There's more, but I won't bore you with it today. The biggest bummer is that I can't get in for my weekly Herceptin drip any later than 3pm (and even that is with special dispensation). Usually their last appointment is at 2:30 (note: the Berkeley infusion center stays open until 7, other note: I never spent more than 1.5 hours in the Oakland office for my weekly drip (and that includes a lot of waiting around)). The reason this is a drag is that I don't get out of work until 3:05, so I've got to get someone to cover my class every Tuesday for the rest of the year (not the worst thing in the world, but...). I guess the benefits of the smaller office Oakland office is that there are less hard and fast rules and more "make it work" kind of flexibility.

Lest you think all I do is bitch on this blog, there are some benefits to the new place.
  1. They seem way better at keeping me well informed of meds, lab results, etc. (to the point of it being over the top, but I appreciate it).
  2. The nurse practitioner that I'll work with there seems GREAT! Way more accessible and engaged than the one that I worked with at the other office.
  3. It sounds like the oncologist will stop in and see me each week while I'm getting my infusion. We'll see how that shakes out.
  4. The facility is much newer, but that is balanced by its lack of natural light.
  5. I'm waiting to see how the wait times are. Yesterday I spent a lot of time waiting, but that may well have been due to the fact that they were squeezing me in.
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