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Staff Profile

Dr Lydia Wu

NUAcT Fellow - Culture and Creative Arts

Background

I currently hold the position of NUAcT fellow in Culture and Creative Arts, where I serve as the project lead for "Decolonising Film Curation in the Digital Age: Asian Cinemas as Method." I identify myself as an early-career academic, a film programmer, and an advocate for the preservation of film heritage.


My academic journey began with the successful completion of my PhD in Film Studies at Newcastle University in 2017. Subsequently, I embarked on a dynamic trajectory that led me from a teaching and scholarship lecturer in Chinese studies at the University of Hull (2016-2019) to a research associate for an AHRC-funded project on Chinese independent cinema at Newcastle University (2019-2023). In 2023, I assumed the role of a NUAcT fellow, granting me the independence to lead a research project. During my tenure as a research associate, I also organised, categorised, and digitised films, materials, and related information on Chinese independent cinema, film festivals, and exhibitions. This effort contributed to the establishment of the Chinese Independent Film Archive.


At the core of my endeavors is the motivation to effect positive change in the society through practice-led and event-driven research. I hold a particular interest in exploring the narratives of marginalised film cultures and underrepresented communities within the film industry, with a specific emphasis on Chinese independent filmmakers and Asian film curators. My research journey has delved into diverse aspects, including Chinese independent cinema, film festivals, film curatorship, and the cultural and knowledge production related to 'Asia.' Throughout this journey, I have maintained a sharp awareness of the cultural divide that exists between the East and the West, recognising it as a product of both institutional constructs and cultural imaginaries deeply entwined with historical and contemporary colonialism.


In addition to my roles within academia and research, I have actively engaged as a film programmer, curator, and event coordinator. These roles have afforded me the opportunity to contribute to various cultural initiatives and events, such as the 'Beijing Independent Film Festival UK Tour 2012,' the '10th Anniversary of China Independent Film Festival UK Celebration 2014,' and 'Earth in Crisis: Chinese Eco-documentary UK Tour 2019.' These experiences have effectively bridged the realms of academia and the arts, enriching my understanding of the multifaceted world of academia and broadening my horizons regarding the potential impact we can have beyond its traditional boundaries.








Research

My NUAcT project 'Decolonising Film Curation in the Digital Age: Asian Cinemas as Method' aims to reconceptualise film curatorship on Asian cinemas and transform current perceptions of 'Asia' constructed as an arbitrary and disconnected collection of countries through film curation. It marks the first comprehensive, empirical, and practice-led research into film curatorship, with a particular focus on the curatorial workflow of programmers and curators specialising in Asian cinemas. By unveiling the temporal and spatial patterns of curators and programmers' engagement with various stakeholders in the global film industry, the project seeks to identify and unravel the power distribution and hierarchy within the film industry that contributes to the construction of 'Asia.' More significantly, it aims to demonstrate that critical film curation can transcend the mere selection and presentation of an arbitrary collection of Asian films, offering a deeper understanding of 'Asia' as a globally circulating and adaptable set of discourses shaped by historical and contemporary colonialism and geopolitics. Additionally, the project will underscore the agency of curatorship in reshaping the cultural production mechanism, challenging existing assumptions about 'Asia'.


I am also particularly interested in documentaries that depict persecution and massacres within the nation in East and Southeast Asia from the World War II to the Cold War. My research focuses on ethics of the documentary filmmaking which seeks for historical truth and justice for the victims under authoritarian regimes. This usually involves freedom of speech, informed consent and victim's wellbeing and privacy. I believe that the ethical issues in documentary filmmaking under these specific conditions are not only universal philosophical questions but also a concentrated reflection of the socio-political challenges that East and Southeast Asian nations faced in terms of the national independence, nation reconstruction, and Western-led modernisation. The research on the ethical issues will offer a philosophical and epistemological perspective to understand the varying political aspirations, different stages of modernisation, and dynamics among Asian nations.


I have long been dedicated to observing the transformation of the Chinese film industry since 2012. I have closely examined how the interplay of art, capital, and politics has reshaped the landscape of art and independent cinema in China in terms of their discourse production, filmmaking, distribution and exhibition.












Teaching

PG modules

FMS8055 Approaches to Film Theory and History 

FMS8358 Exhibition Culture

FMS8099 Dissertation


External examiner for Chinese studies at Xi'an Jiaotong Liverpool University 2020-2023


I am interested in PhD proposal on film festivals, film curatorship on Asian cinemas, Chinese independent cinema, Chinese art cinema, film preservation and archiving, among other topics.




Publications

  • Articles

  • Authored Book

    • Wu L, Hong JC, Ma R. co-translate Sirende Sheyingji: zhuguan dianying yu sanwen dianying a translation of The Personal Camera: Subjective Cinema and the Essay Film . 2014.

  • Book Chapters

  • Exhibitions

    • Yu S, Wu L. Earth in Crisis: Chinese Eco-documentary UK Tour. 2019. Tyneside Cinema Newcastle, Home Manchester, Showroom Sheffield, Lakeside Arts Nottingham, Phoenix Cinema and Bertha DocHouse London, and the University of Edinburgh.
    • Wu L. Nomadic Chinese Identity. 2015. Tyneside Cinema Newcastle. In Preparation.
    • Wu L, Yu S. The 10th Anniversary of China Independent Film Festival UK Celebration. 2014. Newcastle University.
    • Wu L, Yu S. Beijing Independent Film Festival UK Tour. 2012. Newcastle University.

  • Reports

    • Wu L, Ni V. Qin Yi Obituary. Guardian 2022.
    • Wu L. The Beijing Independent Film Festival Survives. dGenerate, 2013.
    • Wu L. No Apologies: Ai Weiwei Makes Surprise Visit to BIFF Closing Night. dGenerate, 2013.