Film Matters: Please tell us about your article that is being published in Film Matters.
Qingheng Yu: This article discusses the interesting relationship between two Chinese films, The Goddess (1934) and The Flowers of War (2011), produced at different times while featuring the same historical period. I wish to explore the concepts of transnationalism, modernism, and globalization expressed by the two films, which eventually seek to establish a national identity. From a feminist perspective, the investigation of the reception of history over time also raises new questions and insights into the historical events with a wider range of knowledge.
FM: What research and/or methodologies do you incorporate in your article?
QY: The starting point of my research is the two films, The Goddess and The Flowers of War. After watching the films and doing close analyses, I reference works by film scholars, including Sheldon Lu, Mariam Hansen, Jing Yang, Lu Tonglin, Yingjing Zhang, Peter Rist, and Zhiwei Xiao, to construct and support my argument.
FM: Describe the original context for/when writing this article while an undergraduate student.
QY: This research paper was originally written for my History of World Cinema class at WashU.
FM: How have your personal experiences shaped and influenced your writing?
QY: I was born and grew up in Shanghai, after which I went to the US to pursue my university education. This overseas experience is very valuable to me and I found it intriguing to explore the transnational interactions and transcultural communications involved in different art forms.
FM: What are your methods for finding diverse and relevant sources?
QY: The school library collection was my main research source; it provides access to a wide variety of resources discussing the relevant topic from different perspectives. I also consulted sources from online databases such as JSTOR, Academic Search Premier, Film + Television Literature Index, and Google Scholar.
FM: Why is including marginalized voices in research important to you?
QY: My research topic is East Chinese films, which is received mainly by Chinese and Asian audiences. Incorporating Chinese, Asian, and Western sources in my research helps to diversify the voices and examine the topic from a more comprehensive view with multiple perspectives.
FM: What audience do you hope to reach with your Film Matters article and/or what impact do you hope it has on the field of film studies?
QY: I hope my article encourages other undergraduates and young film scholars to reexamine the position of national films, besides the dominance of classical Hollywood cinema, on an international scale.
FM: How has your department and/or institution supported your work in film and media?
QY: The faculty of the Film and Media Studies Department at WashU has been very supportive and accessible as I was doing my research on this paper. The course organization also gives a great sense of a step-by-step research process that would be very helpful in my future research projects.
FM: How has your faculty mentor fostered your advancement as a film scholar?
QY: For each preliminary and preparatory task for the research, my faculty mentor, Dr. Diane Wei Lewis, gave me incredibly detailed feedback and suggestions that effectively fostered the development of my research.
FM: What are your future plans?
QY: Since I am majoring in Architecture and study Film and Media Studies mainly as a minor, my current future plan is to continue pursuing the path of being an architect. However, I wish to integrate the concepts that I have learned in films, such as the sense of reflexivity and storytelling, into the projects that I may design in the future.
Author Biography
Qingheng Yu is an undergraduate of Washington University in St. Louis, majoring in Architecture and minoring in Film and Media Studies and Art History and Archaeology. Qingheng grew up in Shanghai, China, and pursues her education in the U.S., where she wishes to explore more about cultural intersections and transnational experiences.
