Miami, March 5, 2015 – The Confucius Institute at Miami Dade College (MDC) will again partner with Miami International Film Festival (MIFF) to present the second Miami International Symposium on Chinese Cinema and its application in Chinese language and cultural education as part of the Spotlight on Asian Cinema programming at the festival. The event will take place 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., Saturday, March 7, at the North Campus.
The seminal initiative is designed to advance international understanding, language education, and appreciation for the world’s cultural diversity through the visual arts. As one of the most culturally-diverse cities in the U.S., Miami is the perfect locale to reap the benefits of this initiative.
“We are giving audiences the opportunity to develop cultural sensitivity and appreciation for the diversity that they encounter daily in their very own city,” said Dr. Jim Yu, Director of the Confucius Institute.
“The initiative aligns perfectly with the higher ends of the Festival, which are to convene the world through film and expand audience appreciation for international cinema and the culturally-mediated perspectives represented therein,” said MIFF Executive Director Jaie Laplante.
Featuring renowned speakers from China and the USA, the symposium will offer an invaluable platform for leaders in the Chinese, Latin American, and American film and cultural industries to network and exchange ideas. For educators, the symposium will highlight effective teaching methods and offer resources for teaching Chinese language and culture using Chinese films. Keynote speakers include: Professor Cunming Zhu from Jiangsu Normal University, China; Mr. Meng Zhang, film director from Beijing, China (MIFF 2015, Uncle Victory); Professor Hua Zhang from Beijing University of Languages and Cultures; and Dr. Bernard “Burn” Loeffke (retired Major General, US Army, and former military attaché of the U.S. Embassy in Beijing.
Educators, filmmakers, cultural entertainment professionals, and general film aficionados, are encouraged to attend this seminar. Educators of all grade levels will receive tips on how to use film as a teaching tool for foreign language and teaching culture. Cultural entertainment professionals will receive guidance on how to artistically render a culture with sensitivity and candidness. Film enthusiasts will learn ways to increase their human understanding of and sensitivity towards foreign cultures represented in film.
The event is free for teachers and students with valid ID, $20 for general public. Visit http://www.miamiff-tickets.com/events/second-international-symposium-chinese-cinema/ for details on registration.
For more information on this event and other arts and culture initiatives at the Confucius Institute, please contact Dr. Jim Yu at 305–237–7581 or Arely Ruiz at 305-632-5996.
Second Miami International Symposium on Chinese Cinema and its Application in Chinese Language and Cultural Education
- WHEN: Saturday, Mar. 7, 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM
- WHERE: MDC North Campus, Building 2, Room 2147 11380 N.W. 27th Avenue
Miami International Film Festival (MIFF), celebrating its 32nd anniversary March 6 – 15, 2015, is considered the preeminent film festival for showcasing Ibero-American cinema in the U.S., and a major launch pad for all international and documentary cinema. The annual Festival, produced and presented by Miami Dade College, attracts more than 60,000 audience members and more than 400 filmmakers, producers, talent and industry professionals. It is the only major festival housed within a college or university. In the last five years, the Festival has screened films from more than 60 countries, including 300 World, International, North American, U.S. and East Coast Premieres. MIFF’s special focus on Ibero-American cinema has made the Festival a natural gateway for the discovery of new talent from this diverse territory. The Festival also offers unparalleled educational opportunities to film students and the community at large. Major sponsors of the 2014 Festival include Knight Foundation, Lexus and Miami-Dade County. For more, visit miamifilmfestival.com or call 305-237-MIFF (3456).
MDCulture is the Cultural Affairs Department of Miami Dade College (MDC). Comprising the Miami Book Fair International, Miami International Film Festival, Tower Theater, the Center for Literature and Theatre, Koubek Center, Freedom Tower, MDC Live Arts and MDC Galleries and Museum of Art + Design, MDCulture is committed to providing everyone the opportunity to come in contact with innovative thinkers, creators and tradition bearers from around the world. With each presentation, MDCulture offers a bridge between cultures and ideas, creating new opportunities for the increasingly diverse population of Miami to come together through shared live arts experiences. For more, visit mdculture.org.