Associate Professor Dr Kai Syng Tan Jurors at Prestigious International Film Festival
Associate Professor in Arts and Cultural Leadership Dr Kai Syng Tan was invited to serve on the jury in the New Asian Currents category at the prestigious Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival 2023 (YIDFF) in Japan in October.
The category focuses on bold, new expressions of the documentary genre on critical issues.
“I was proud to go on stage to announce the winner of the top prize, a filmmaker from Myanmar who had to remain anonymous, having already been imprisoned by the government. Their film Losing Ground depicts the resistance and resilience by people living under military junta through a highly restrained and yet quietly powerful setup“ says Tan.
“We spent eight hours till early morning to make our decision, because we know how career-changing and even life-changing the prize and the financial award can be. We want to send a strong message to the filmmakers, as well as other makers who are similarly trapped or imprisoned, physically or metaphorically.“
Tan’s own directorial works, including "How to Thrive in 2050" (commissioned for BBC Culture in Quarantine in 2021) and "Chlorine Addiction" (featured in NAC in 2001), were also shown as part of a showcase.
Find out more on Kai’s website
See Kai discuss the film on NHK (Japan Public Broadcaster)
