Way Down West - Didi Yitong Liang & Victoria Lum

Featuring research by film archivist, Didi Yitong Liang, Way Down West offers an entry point into wider discussions of how film curation and changing technological practices are shaping film archives. Liang’s text examines the tinted silent film’s unique journey, which illustrates the transnational character of all film objects, whether their story is as already multifaceted as Way Down West’s or yet to be unfurled. From the film’s premiere in Shanghai in 1927, through its re-editing and screening in 1920s and 1930s Europe, to its entry into—and being forgotten amid—the collection of Eye Filmmuseum, the first decades of Hou Yao’s film followed a path familiar to many films. It is a case that proves that the selections of film curators and institutional directors are critical in shaping not only film archives, but film history at large. These decisions are increasing critical in an oversaturated information age where curation and selection, with appropriate context and historical fidelity, provide the foundation for cultural discussion, exchange, and innovation.

2024
Softcover, 191pp 
184 x 113mm