Cinema East Film: 'Center Stage'

The final Cinema East film for this season is Stanley Kwan’s 1991 feature, Center Stage, which screens on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, at 7:45 p.m. at Pickford Film Center (1318 Bay Street).  

 

Also known as The Actress, Center Stage is a poignant biographical drama that pays tribute to the legendary Chinese silent film actress Ruan Lingyu.  

 

According to the Pickford’s website, Center Stage is a ”kaleidoscopic yet intimate portrait” of the “tragic screen siren Ruan Lingyu.” Set against the backdrop of 1930s Shanghai, the film intricately weaves historical footage and contemporary interviews with dramatized reenactments, exploring Ruan's life and rise to stardom. 

 

The Cinema East film series is co-presented by Western Libraries and Pickford Film Center Stage, with film selections curated by WWU librarian Jeff Purdue. Films are often accompanied by introductions from educators and experts. Center Stage will be introduced by Jeff Purdue. 

 

For more information about the Cinema East series, please see the PFC website, or contact Jeff Purdue at: purduej@wwu.edu, (360)-650-7750. All PFC theaters are ADA accessible with wheelchair seating, and closed captioning and assistive listening devices are available at the box office. For questions about or to request disability accommodation, please contact Meghan Schilling, meghan@pickfordfilmcenter.org.  

 

[Content warning: suicide – This film is about the life of the actress Ruan Lingyu, who died by suicide at the age of 24.]  

 

[Image Description: Still photo from the film 'Center Stage' of a young woman standing next to a parked car with the faded background of a gray cityscape set behind her.]