Join us for a screening and discussion of No Rule is Our Rule, a documentary film about friendship between two fiercely independent, interdisciplinary female dance artists Eiko Otake and Wen Hui. Eiko grew up in postwar Japan and has lived in New York since 1970s. 8 years younger, Beijing based Wen Hui grew up during the Cultural Revolution in China and shows her work internationally. They spent a month together in China in January 2020, when the surge of COVID-19 became first known to the general public. Postponing their physical collaboration, Eiko and Wen Hui continued to converse candidly over Zoom and co-edited the footage they filmed in China. The process has deepened their mutual understanding  of their past works created and presented in different historical and social contexts.  

This event marks Wen Hui's first return to New York since 2018, when she presented her work Red at Asia Society. The 76-minute film screening will be followed by a discussion with the artists themselves. Yiru Chen, who joined Eiko and Wen Hui in editing, will also participate in the conversation, which is moderated by Zhen Zhang, Professor in the Department of Cinema Studies at NYU Tisch and founding Director of the Asian Film and Media Initiative. 

No Rule is Our Rule was recently selected for the Munich New Wave Film Festival and won Best Feature Documentary at the Japan International Film Festival this year. 

Asia Society
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