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Show in July 27, 1995 Section B Page Bl There was plenty of crashing and crunching at the Kamas Valley Fiesta Days. See Street Beat, B5 32 Film screening to fund Chinese-American exchange by LISA ANTONUCCI Record staff writer hinese director Zhang Yimou has recently been banned by the Chinese government from making any movies funded with foreign money for the next two years. His most recent film, To Live, probably triggered the ban against him for its portrayal portray-al of China's cultural revolution, although no official reason was given. Ironically, Yimou's film is being shown as the first of a series of fundraising activities activi-ties for the U.S. -Chinese People's Friendship Association (USCPFA) which sponsors a high school student exchange program between Park City High School students and students from Beijing No. 4 High School. "The cultural revolution, which took place from 1969 to 1979, was an embarrassing embarrass-ing and devastating time for China," said Val Chin, one of USCPFA's co-founders. "Education stopped. The government sent educated people out into the country to work and brought workers from the country into the city to do jobs held by educated people. "People were forced to admit their 'crimes' crimes meaning listening to western music or owning western books, being educated in the West or even having a family member who had contact with the West." Chin explained the Chinese government govern-ment tried to purge the country of any Western ideas as well as destroy anything having to do with the past imperialistic governments, gov-ernments, because it saw these things as corrupt. cor-rupt. To Live, which was presented in last year's Sundance Film Festival, follows the lives of a Chinese family prior to World War II through the communist takeover and the cultural revolution. Often called the Chinese "Gone with the Wind," this family epic presents pre-sents an intimate look at the details of daily life in China. "The film realistically depicts a segment seg-ment of life in China, but the government probably had a problem with his depiction of the cultural revolution," said Chin. "It is clearly depicted, however. It's not sensationalized, sensation-alized, but I suppose the government is still trying to get beyond it." The Chinese government opened its country's doors again in 1979, but it wasn't until 14 years later that the first student exchange took place. According to Chin, Chinese students do not usually leave the country unless they are athletes, and never before have they let foreigners come and stay in their homes. But in 1993, ten stu dents from Park City High School made the trip to China, stayed in Chinese families' homes, and several months later, ten Chinese students came to Park City. The initial exchange was extremely successful, and the USCPFA is preparing for its next exchange which will include not only students, but faculty as well. Bruce Hall, from the high school's social sciences department, will leave in August for a six-month six-month stint at the No. 4 High School. A woman English teacher will then come from Beijing to teach at PCHS. While all of the Park City students pay their own way, the USCPFA raises all of the funds necessary to bring the Chinese students stu-dents and faculty to Park City. This film screening will be the first in a series of fundraising efforts. To Live will be shown at 8 p.m. in the Historic Egyptian Theatre. There will be a reception prior to the screening beginning at 6 p.m. in the Main Street Marketplace Mall with Chinese food compliments of Paul Chang, owner of Szechwan Chinese Restaurant. A framed Chinese peasant painting paint-ing will be raffled off during the reception, and various Chinese items such as jewelry, silk scarves and paintings will be on sale. Tickets for the party and film are $25 each, with all proceeds going to the USCPFA's exchange program. Tickets may be purchased at the Egyptian Theatre box office or by calling 649-9371. is an unprepared a j. - I a l n 6 I -to-be in IM Nine Months. Edd niaaaicH takes thrcuch tho Perk City art ; ' 1 : 1 Shama- IMS M ; Take a ill U Rain a-ding-dong! back to threatened but ; i John .n (Oil IV show went oi a TTT l II VI Oh bang. r m r mt i |
