The CHOP (China Ongoing Film Perspectives) film series returns with an in-person showing of Tyrus (2015; 73 minutes) with Q&A on November 2, followed by an online lecture about it on November 3.
Tyrus is a documentary about the renowned Chinese American artist Tyrus Wong, whose paintings became the inspiration for the classic animated feature Bambi. People worldwide have seen the Disney animated classic and been deeply moved by the aesthetic renderings of nature and wildlife in the film. The pioneering artist behind this work is Tyrus Wong (1910-2016), one of the most gifted artists from the golden age of Disney animation. The quiet beauty of his Eastern-influenced paintings caught the eye of Walt Disney, who made Wong the inspirational sketch artist for Bambi.
Our discussant is Yan Zhong, a lecturer in the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Michigan. She has published multiple novels, essays, and books in Chinese and worked for four years as a literary editor at the Changchun Film Studio in China. Her research interests include Chinese pop culture (music and film), and she is currently working on a book project introducing the history and technical achievements of Chinese animation films.
Yan Zhong will also be giving the follow-up lecture on November 3. Please register to attend.
CHOP is a U-M film series co-sponsored by Asia Library and the Lieberthal-Rogel Center for Chinese Studies.