April 17, 2019, is the National Canadian Film Day. On that day, there were a vast variety of screenings and cinema events from coast-to-coast to celebrate Canadian cinema. Among thousands movie screenings, an epic portrayal named “Iron Road”, showed the early Chinese workers who toiled on the construction of the transcontinental Canadian Pacific Railway in the 1880s with a romantic forbidden love story was presented by the Canada Performing Artists Networks (CPAN) and Reel Canada on that night in Xinflix media venue at city of Markham. This special screening event attracted more than 100 audiences to revisit an important and controversial time in Canadian Chinese history.
(Pic 1. Three generations of local Canadian Chinese cinema
professionals, artists, cinema and Chinese cultural enthusiasts cheer for this
special screening) Film-more than any other medium- has the magic power to capture the soul of a nation and his people, and there is no substitute for the connection you can feel when you watch something from your background. The host organization president Mr. Zhang Wei addressed the importance of choosing this film is to help to draw attention to a long-omitted chapter in Canadian history. Chinese have been present in Canada since before Confederation, and there was blood, sweat and tears in every single mile from every railroad worker. Thus, we Chinese Canadians should have their contributions to the building of Canada. Also noteworthy is the fact that the film is the first Canada-China co-production in over 20 years. The Chinese Canadian artists should more responsibilities to foster the values of multiculturalism by showcasing the essential Chinese and Canadian culture through varies channels, especially to promote international exchange in film production.
(Pic 2. Mr. Zhang Wei，the president of CPAN addressed the speech) Mr. Zhuang Yaodong, the deputy consul general of China in Toronto, said that the Chinese ancestors made a lasting contribution to the founding of Canada. The motherland is closely related to the fate of all Chinese abroad. Nowadays, Chinese and foreign exchanges and cooperation are becoming more frequent. More and more Chinese film and television practitioners are playing more significant roles in international film and television, with a stronger China. He believes that there will be a brighter prospect for cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and Canada in the future.
(Pic 3. Mr. Zhuang Yaodong, the deputy consul general of China in Toronto gave a talk) Following the screening, three generations of local Canadian Chinese cinema professionals, artists, cinema and Chinese cultural enthusiasts shared their thoughts and feelings in a live Q&A session. Some directors, actors, young media and cinema students and enterprises talked about their views of the movie.
(pic 4 Director/producer Victor Ma)
(Pic 5 Actress/producer Mengla) “It is an amazing story of a cross-cultural love story set against historical facts with great shooting techniques. However, we nowadays as the young professions should seek grander perspectives to tell our own stories on the big screen and bring cultural diversity and enrich the community.” said by Jamie Shen, the Principal CEO at Imagic Inc, who Graduated from Queen’s University Film and Media Program.
(Pic . Jamie Shen, the Principal CEO at Imagic Inc, who Graduated from Queen’s University Film and Media Program shared her thoughts) A few non-Chinese audiences came for this screening. Amra, a
second year from the Schulich business school at York University and her friend
Vera, a third-year undergraduate born in a Russia immigrant family told me:
“they were deeply touched by this dramatic story of 'East meets West' and cried
for Chinese railroad workers’ miserable working conditions. This unfamiliar
history touched their heart particularly. Although a slice of this period has
been briefly mentioned in their Grade 10 history class, a lot of young Canadian
like them do not fully know about the Chinese Head Tax, and these Chinese
workers’ sacrifices had not been recognized enough. They have learned Chinese
for almost three years. Both are passionate about Chinese culture, and they now
are preparing their speech for the provincial audition of the “Chinese Bridge”
Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students Program. The title
is “We Are the World,” and they hope to help strengthen the cultural ties
between China and Canada and foster the values of Canadian’s multiculturalism. (Pic 7 Arma and Vera, Chinese learner and York undergraduate students addressed their feeling for the movie and passion for Chinese Culture) |
