Event Date and Time:

March 6, 2012
6:00pm

Location:

Dept of Cinema Studies, Michelson Theater
721 Broadway, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10003

preview screening
WRITING IN WATER  水书

“A film on the social life of calligraphy”  书法的集体生活
42 min
Angela Zito 司徒安   director

What does it mean to take up calligraphy in a fast-moving world where people often no longer recall the stroke order of unusual words, but can look them up on cellphones?   How does it feel being alone, together, spending long hours training your body to write while slowly mulling over your life with others?  Writing in Water  follows my calligraphy teacher, and my teacher's teacher, in Tuanjiehu Park, Beijing, where they write on the plaza everyday. With their students they connect past to present, master to pupil, friend to friend, making a community, making Chinese characters that slowly materialize, and that last long after the water has evanesced into air.  (In Chinese with English subtitles.)

* * * * * Followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker. * * * * *

Free and open to the public.

Seating is limited and is available first-come, first-seated.