Director's Statement:

Shortly after my grandparents passed away, I was going through our family photo albums—which had become my way of mourning—when I saw a series of photos of my family from the Cultural Revolution. I remembered vaguely that when I was little, Grandma used to tell me tragic tales about a time when Grandpa was denounced as the “demon and snake spirit,” and was forced to resign from his position as the president of a university; when Grandma’s left leg was paralyzed for life; when Mother and Uncle’s dreams of going to college came to an end.

I began researching everything I could about the Cultural Revolution, and recalled back to the stories Grandma had told me. I immediately had a strong urge to make a film that I could dedicate to my grandparents, and to those whose lives were sacrificed and whose dreams were destroyed in those frenetic years, and to all those who still suffer today. Two weeks later, I had found my story: The Projectionist.

This film has allowed me not only to explore the pains and sorrows that my parents’ and grandparents’ generations have experienced, but it also allowed me an opportunity to try to understand the complex mosaic of this cultural upheaval. As a Chinese descendant, I feel I am relieving myself from some of the guilt that has long haunted me for not knowing and understanding enough about my culture.