The 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT10) Catalogue

Cinema The 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art 184 Production still from Die Adern der Welt (Veins of the World) 2020 / Director: Byambasuren Davaa / Digital, colour, Dolby, 97 minutes, Germany/Mongolia, Mongolian (English subtitles) / Image courtesy: Global Screen Production still from Aliko & Ambai 2017 / Directors: Diane Anton and Mark Eby / Digital, colour, stereo, 102 minutes, Papua New Guinea, Tok Pisin/English/Bena Arufa (English subtitles) / Image courtesy: Diane Anton and Mark Eby Production still from Gwaat Mooi (Sisterhood) 2016 / Director: Tracy Choi / Digital, colour, stereo, 97 minutes, Macau, Taiwan, Cantonese, Mandarin (English subtitles) / Image courtesy: One Cool Pictures Production still from Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom 2019 / Director: Pawo Choyning Dorji / Digital, colour, Dolby Surround, 109 minutes, Bhutan, Dzongkha (English subtitles) / Image courtesy: Films Boutique Under the Radar: New Filmmaking across Asia and the Pacific Feature filmmaking relies on passion for the craft and a desire to tell stories. It is also a highly collaborative medium, requiring financial and logistical elements to work together in order to successfully attract audiences. It is often necessary to create a fine-tuned balance of favourable conditions to make a feature film: gather a large assembly of film professionals, draw in economic and political support and then secure well- placed viewing exposure. To get a film on screen is a feat of persistence and vision. Due to this, filmmaking regions that produce a small number of films are fragile industries. ‘Under the Radar: New Filmmaking across Asia and the Pacific’ highlights feature filmmaking in the Asia Pacific region that has remained largely unseen. The program celebrates filmmaking regions that have a reduced presence, limited government production support or a lack of screening opportunities. Compared to more robust film industries such as those in China, Japan or India, these small cinemas are often overlooked. Featuring the work of talented and inventive filmmakers, this collection champions hidden gems that deserve a wider audience and shines a light on the rich cultures that produce them. Drawing on the past five to ten years of feature films from these emerging Asia Pacific regions, ‘Under the Radar’ includes works from Macau, Nepal, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Tibet, Samoa and Kyrgyzstan. These films reveal cinematic storytelling directly connected to the culture represented on screen. This level of intimacy affords a distinctive and deep engagement with place and people: a fascinating glimpse into lives rarely portrayed on the big screen. Often these national cinemas are too small to gain widespread viewing; while features may be exhibited at international film festivals, they rarely have much life beyond. Directors may take many years before they are able to mount another project. The productions within this program are supported in a variety of ways. In the case of Aliko & Ambai 2017 from Papua New Guinea, the feature was made in a climate of an incredibly limited history of filmmaking. The film originated at the University of Goroka with the production process designed to train film crew and provide infrastructure for future filmmaking. The narrative was inspired by several scripts written by students and includes a mix of biographical and fictional elements. Aliko & Ambai is an engaging feature headed by two luminous first-time actors and offers a fascinating insight into the challenges faced by young women, including tribal violence, forced marriage and gender inequality, while showcasing the resilience and strength of the two young leads. Writer-director Pema Tseden is a leading filmmaker in Tibet. While Tibetan cinema may produce fewer than five feature films per year — compared to Australia’s 20–25 films — it has more international attention than most small cinemas. The history of Tibetan cinema is marked by storylines presenting the challenges faced by Tibetans and celebrates the region’s sustained cultural identity. Tseden’s film Jinpa 2018 is a fascinating genre piece blending Buddhist mysticism and film noir cool as its protagonist is focused on maintaining good karma. Tseden is a rare example of a regular creator in these fragile industries — Jinpa is the director’s sixth film and attracted production support from acclaimed Hong Kong director Wong Kar Wai’s company Jet Tone. While many of the films in this program share some thematic concerns — grappling with tradition versus modernity, explorations of identity and the physical struggles of daily life — what sets each film apart is their ability to capture the specific challenges and stories unique to their time and place. For example, in Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom 2019, the city-slicker Ugyen, out of his element in rural Bhutan, is bestowed the ultimate compliment: that he may not have been only a yak herder in a previous life but also, possibly, even a yak. In the Nepalese film Looking for a Lady with Fangs and a Moustache 2019, an entrepreneur must consult with a Llama to ascertain if his plans to open a cafe are being thwarted by a mischievous female spirit; and Wolf and Sheep 2016, by one of Afghanistan’s first female filmmakers, features the mythical ‘Kashmir wolf’, a shape-changing green fairy who metes out justice to cruel people. ‘Under the Radar’ is a visual feast of accomplished filmmaking that brings together stories big and small from distinct film creators. Rosie Hays