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The Chinese-Canadian Experience (Ages 9-11)

5 films
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This playlist highlights the experiences of the Chinese diaspora. Chinese-Canadians, in particular, have had to navigate various levels of politicized racism, emotional turmoil and financial hardship in their adopted country. What emerges from each of these films and the stories they tell is the dignity, good humour, and resourcefulness of their subjects. Pour visionnez cette sélection en français, cliquez ici.

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The Chinese-Canadian Experience (Ages 9-11)

This playlist highlights the experiences of the Chinese diaspora. Chinese-Canadians, in particular, have had to navigate various levels of politicized racism, emotional turmoil and financial hardship in their adopted country. What emerges from each of these films and the stories they tell is the dignity, good humour, and resourcefulness of their subjects.

Pour visionnez cette sélection en français, cliquez ici.

Playlist

  • The Zoo
    The Zoo
    Julia Kwan 2018 11 min

    Inspired by a real bear that once lived in Vancouver’s Stanley Park, The Zoo follows the parallel lives of a polar bear cub and a Chinese boy who visits him until they’re both in their twilight years.

  • Winds of Spring
    Winds of Spring
    Keyu Chen 2017 6 min

    Keyu Chen makes use of fine lines and fluid transitions in her delicately crafted first film, which tells the tale of a young girl who, driven by the irrepressible need for self-fulfillment, dreams of leaving the family nest.

  • Jaime Lo, Small and Shy
    Jaime Lo, Small and Shy
    Lillian Chan 2006 7 min

    In this animated short, Jaime Lo's father is sent to Hong Kong for a year-long work assignment. A shy Chinese-Canadian girl, Jaime Lo must use her creativity to cope with his absence. This story offers us a lighthearted glimpse into a common dilemma that many immigrant families face, where one parent must work overseas in order to provide for the rest of the family back home.

    Part of the Talespinners collection, which uses vibrant animation to bring popular children’s stories from a wide range of cultural communities to the screen.

  • The Chinese Violin
    The Chinese Violin
    Joe Chang 2002 8 min

    In this animated short, a young girl and her father move from China to Canada, bringing only their Chinese violin along for the journey. As they face the challenge of starting fresh in a new place, the music of the violin connects them to the life they left behind and guides the girl towards a musical future.

    Part of the Talespinners collection, which uses vibrant animation to bring popular children’s stories from a wide range of cultural communities to the screen.

  • The Friends of Kwan Ming
    The Friends of Kwan Ming
    Christine Amber Tang 2002 7 min

    This animated short tells the story of Kwan Ming, a man who left China to live and work in the New World. Once at destination, Kwan Ming and three traveling companions look for work but find nothing. When opportunities finally arise, Kwan Ming lets his friends have the best jobs and takes a lowly position as helper to a mean storeowner. But his generosity pays off when his friends help him with a very difficult task.

    Part of the Talespinners collection, which uses vibrant animation to bring popular children’s stories from a wide range of cultural communities to the screen.