Masculinity in Chinese Cinema

In Hollywood, the hero always gets the girl. Not so in Chinese action films….

This talk examines the codes governing what it takes to be a good man in Chinese culture – and how they are changing under modernity. Why does Bruce Lee never get the girl, and why is that a sign of success? Why are there so few Oedipal narratives of men overcoming father figures in Chinese cinema? Why are there two models of Chinese masculinity, and how do they work together? And what are the moral codes that govern male behaviour and generate dramatic tension?

This talk is part of the Bagri Foundation’s World Cinema Club which aims to promote a deeper appreciation of cinema at meetings that are engaging and informative.

Professor Chris Berry

Chris Berry is Professor of Film Studies at Kings College, London. Professor Berry co-edits two book series for Hong Kong University Press: TransAsian Screen Cultures and Queer Asia. He has curated film seasons, most recently working with Katja Widerspahn on “A Single Spark Can Start a Prairie Fire: The Cultural Revolution in the Cinema” for the Film Archiv Austria in 2011.