Pai Niang Niang: The Last Osmanthus Blossom 白孃孃:一朶遲桂花
Wed May 29, 2024 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM PDT
McCormick Screening Room, UCI, 92697
Pai Niang Niang: The Last Osmanthus Blossom 白孃孃:一朶遲桂花
Wed May 29, 2024 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM PDT
McCormick Screening Room, UCI, 92697
Description
Hong Kong | Documentary | 2023 | 65 minutes | In Cantonese/Mandarin & English with Chinese & English Subtitles
DIRECTOR: Isabel Wong
Director Isabel Wong will appear in person for an intro and post-film Q&A.
SYNOPSIS:
In March 1972, Rebecca Pan self-financed the production of the first-ever Mandarin musical, PAI NIANG NIANG (1972), and performed 60 times at the Princess Theatre, Tsim Sha Tsui. This is a piece of Hong Kong art and culture history and the most important milestone of Rebecca’s oeuvre. This work used the Broadway musical model to adapt the famous Chinese myth Legend of the White Snake. Bringing together Eastern and Western theatrical styles, the production combined Chinese traditional music, dance, costume, and stage design with modern Western concepts. Despite this bold attempt, the resulting work was ahead of its time and was not a commercial success. Also, it was thought to have not been captured on film and faded into obscurity. In April 2024, however, a partial film record of the performance was miraculously discovered. The restored surviving footage has become the finale of this documentary, PAI NIANG NIANG: THE LAST OSMANTHUS BLOSSOM.
This documentary is directed by director Wong Tsui-Wah, Isabel. During the years of observation and excavation, Isabel has been looking for various aspects of PAI NIANG NIANG, and through this documentary, she recorded every detail of PAI NIANG NIANG.
Isabel Wong, Director
Wong Tsui-Wah, Isabel is a screenwriter, director, multi-media producer, and curator.
She has worked in television as a script reviewer for drama content and as a program producer for variety shows. She has written more than 20 drama series, and she has produced music programs and award ceremonies. In 2021, she was appointed Content Director of TVB Music Group, focusing on album and concert production. She founded the studio Artcanteen and is passionate about documentary filmmaking. In 2022, she curated a photo exhibition of Ms Rebecca Pan - Rebecca Pan Wan Ching Will The Orange Blossom Smile Photo Journey. She is working on a documentary celebrating the achievements of Filipino musicians in Hong Kong.
Location
McCormick Screening Room, UCI, 92697