New York State Writers Institute - Classic Film Series

KING OF MASKS (Bian Lian) April 14, 2000 (Friday) at 7:30 p.m. Page Hall, 135 Western Avenue (Free and Open to the Public) (Chinese, 1996, 101 minutes, color, 35mm) Directed by Tian-Ming Wu Starring Zhigang Zhang, Renying Zhou, Xu Zhu In Mandarin with English subtitles

In a remote area of China in the 1930s, an old street performer refuses an offer to join an acting troupe since traditionally the secrets are passed only from father to son. Having no son, the old man buys a young child from a starving family to teach him his craft. Director Tian Ming Wu helped bring the Fifth Generation of Chinese filmmakers to prominence. This is his first film since returning to China in 1995 after the Tiananmen Square revolt.