Jiakai Nie from the University of College London has been selected to join UK-China Film Collab as a member via the organisation’s Future Talent Programme 2021-2022.
Here is Jiakai’s introduction to himself and his project for this year:
“I am Jiakai Nie, a MA student in Film Studies at University College London. Before UCL, I received my bachelor’s degree at Kings College London for my BA Film Studies. My research interests lie in Chinese art cinema, regional cinema, and transnational cinema through Oriental and Occidental gaze. These previous studies and research experience inspire me to continue researching Chinese cinemas from different regions to analyse the relationship between motion pictures and the space that filmmakers captured. I am excited to join UCFC to bring knowledge and cinema cultures in China to the West in order to allow more intelligent and broader communication.
As a research specialist for regional cinema, I will lead a project to rethink Chinese arthouse cinema in regional contexts and brings them into transnational discussions. Currently, Hong Kong and Taiwanese cinemas have already received significant attention from various Western scholars and cinephiles. However, mainland Chinese cinema is consistently recognised as a whole and as a cinema of propaganda. Therefore, I aim to deconstruct mainland Chinese cinemas into different regions and analyse their unique regional characteristics. For example, I will hold screenings and panel discussions relating to the cinema in the northeast of China to explore filmmakers’ experiences within their cities and retell their struggles.”
Jiakai also serves as Head of Festival for Odyssey: a Chinese cinema season 2022, an annual film festival presented by UK-China Film Collab.
Contact Jiakai: jiakai.nie@ukchinafilm.uk
