Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center Screening Recap and Photos

Our third week on tour concluded with a screening at the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center in Boston, Massachusetts. The BCNC is celebrating their 40th anniversary of serving the Chinatown community this year, and the organization is having a celebration gala in a couple of weeks on Saturday, November 7, 2009 at the center’s two buildings at 885 Washington Street and 38 Ash Street. When Rae and I arrived, we initially went to the Washington address and were confused when we couldn’t find anyone who knew about the screening. Fortunately, a passerby told us to go across the street to the other BCNC location. Apologies to anyone who came to the screening who first went to the Washington address!

After setting up the projector and tinkering with the image and color settings, we were ready to go around 12:40. Following an introduction by Carmen Chan from the BCNC, Rae and I gave our 10-minute presentation before starting the film. We had to duck out during the screening to be interviewed by a reporter from the World Journal. We were also interviewed by the Sing Tao Daily after the screening. We’ll try to pick up copies of the newspaper when we’re in New York tomorrow.

We had our most spirited discussion during the Q&A session. There was considerable debate among the attendees about the role of feminism versus nationalism in Qiu Jin’s life. Which was more important of the two? Could the two exist separately or were they intricately entwined within each other. This is the question that scholars have been asking for years about Qiu Jin, and there is no right or wrong answer; it’s up to interpretation and one’s own opinion! It was great to see the guests debating each other during the Q&A; it shows that people are reacting to the film! Here’s a video from the discussion:

In addition there was one scholar in the room who pointed out some potential mistakes in the film that we may want to address in a future screening (and DVD) version of Autumn Gem.

Following the screening, we had a late lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant with my high school buddy, David, and his friends, Jessica, Dawn and Arnold. Aside from my friend Rod in Denver, David is the person whom I’ve known the longest — since elementary school! We reminisced about Spreckels, Country Day, San Diego, playing pool, and about old friends now in high places. I’ve said it many times on this blog, but one of the great benefits of taking Autumn Gem on tour is that we’ve been able to see so many of our friends and relatives. That alone is worth the price of admission!

After lunch, Rae and I braved hard rain and strong winds over nearly five and a half hours as we drove back to New Jersey from Boston. We’re now on the homestretch for this tour, with three more screenings on the docket. We’ve added another screening in Delaware at the Chinese American Community Center in Hockessin on Wednesday. On Monday, we’ll be spending our free day in New York City. Any ideas on what to visit?

Here are photos from the screening at the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center. Additional photos are provided by Anh Ðào Kolbe.

WP-SmugMug Plugin: http://tow.com/projects/wordpress/*[[](/batch.download.php?aid=6765730)Audience reaction and debate during the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center screening of Autumn Gem.](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#692106005GMVRv) *[Parking our rental car overnight.](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#691501827F3ZrV) *[855 Washington Street houses one part of the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center.](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#6915017198UWuL) *[Awaiting the start of the screening.](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#691501645ByoMm) *[Adam and Rae setting up the projector. Photo Credit: Anh Dao Kolbe](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#691925713p9kLD) *[Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center. Photo Credit: Anh Dao Kolbe](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#691925770bujYu) *[Getting things ready for the screening. Adam on the computer and Rae talking with Carmen from the BCNC. Photo Credit: Anh Dao Kolbe](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#691925639vyNQF) *[Rae goes through her presentation with Adam at the Keynote controls. Photo Credit: Anh Dao Kolbe](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#691925570dwoEf) *[Finishing up our short 10-minute presentation before the film. Photo Credit: Anh Dao Kolbe](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#691925504MnTs8) *[Watching Autumn Gem at the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center.](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#691501529pHm24) *[Answering questions from the crowd. Photo Credit: Anh Dao Kolbe](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#6919254255HUSU) *[Rae and Adam answer questions from the crowd during their screening of Autumn Gem at the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center. Photo Credit: Anh Dao Kolbe](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#691925386aFrkz) *[Listening to scholar reactions following the screening of Autumn Gem at the BCNC. Photo Credit: Anh Dao Kolbe](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#691925347yeVcA) *[Rae answers questions from the crowd following the screening at the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center.](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#691501409TxcPi) *[Carmen talks about upcoming events at the BCNC.](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#691501267t7Uz7) *[Carmen talks about upcoming events at the BCNC.](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#6915011854NucU) *[Attendees at the Autumn Gem screening at the BCNC.](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#691501074PWWHe) *[Doing research on the women’s movement in late Qing-dynasty China.](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#691500956poDWq) *[A spirited discussion among the guests at the Autumn Gem screening at the BCNC.](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#691500873rnESv) *[Getting corrections. Photo Credit: Anh Dao Kolbe](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#6919252582tDQm) *[Exchanging contact information. Photo Credit: Anh Dao Kolbe](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#691925302Faqa2) *[Making note of potential changes in store for the film. Photo Credit: Anh Dao Kolbe](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#691925166Wixch) *[Exchanging cards. Photo Credit: Anh Dao Kolbe](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#691925130HuJQS) *[Talking about future screenings. Photo Credit: Anh Dao Kolbe](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#6919252122JGaP) *[Talking video shop. Photo Credit: Anh Dao Kolbe](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#691925086P4n7K) *[Carmen Chan, Rae Chang, and Adam Tow underneath the sign for the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center following the screening of Autumn Gem.](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#691925053cR7GL) *[Arnold and Dawn talk with Rae about their recent trip to San Francisco.](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#691500799Z9u6w) *[Jessica gets on the horn with David.](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#691500738iEfHE) *[The real location of today’s Autumn Gem screening at the BCNC.](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#691500693yuuNX) *[David and Adam.](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#691500615KhbUH) *[Dawn, Arnold, Rae, Adam, David, and Jessica at a Vietnamese restaurant following the Autumn Gem screening at the BCNC.](http://photos.tow.com/Autumn-Gem/Screenings/Boston-Chinatown-Neighborhood/10078867QkLky#691500545_LD3La)