Over the summer, Austin Lau, Casey Lapidus and John Gilmore from the Academy for Creative Media (ACM) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa experienced a new opportunity for immersion in filmmaking and Chinese cultural exchange. Looking China, a three-week intensive documentary production program, draws students from around the world to make 10-minute documentaries on topics revolving around a new theme each year. This year’s theme was “Craftsmanship, Inheritance and Innovation.”

The ACM students’ films will be screened at a conference on Wednesday, September 27, 7 to–8:30 p.m., in Moore Hall’s Tokioka Room (room 319). A behind-the-scenes documentary made during the summer program will also be shown. At the end of the screening there will be a Q&A. The organizers of Looking China will be visiting UH Mānoa for a small conference in conjunction with the Confucius Institute and the East-West Center.

Looking China adds to ACM ’s long-standing program SMART Exchange with Shanghai University and Shanghai International Film Festival. While the program is co-hosted by universities in cities all over China, the ACM students were fortunate to be part of a group of 10 students from Australia, New Zealand and France that participated through Looking China’s home institution, Beijing Normal University.

Film topics

Lau, who graduated from ACM in May, chose Tongrentang, China’s most famous pharmaceutical company with a 400-year history. He was given unique access to company officials and workers, and focused his story on a wider examination of Chinese medicine and the company’s role in shaping it.

in May, chose Tongrentang, China’s most famous pharmaceutical company with a 400-year history. He was given unique access to company officials and workers, and focused his story on a wider examination of Chinese medicine and the company’s role in shaping it. Lapidus, an ACM senior, chose Rongbaozhai, a collection of workshops in old Beijing devoted to the restoration of many of China’s most valuable ancient relics.

senior, chose Rongbaozhai, a collection of workshops in old Beijing devoted to the restoration of many of China’s most valuable ancient relics. Gilmore, a senior, focused on a restoration topic centered on a team of textile archaeologists that restores some of the most intricate ancient fabrics found throughout China.

Read the news release for more.