Take the opportunity and meet two of China’s most renowned artists and queer activists, Shi Tou and Mingming. In addition to presenting their film “Women Fifty Minutes,” they engage in a conversation about artistic freedom, forbidden art, and art as a vital necessity. The event takes place at Panora cinema and is free of charge. The talk is interpreted to English. The artists are in Malmö at the invitation of Malmö Konsthall, Unicorn – Artists in Solidarity, and IASPIS.

About the artists

Shi Tou, celebrated as “one of the most prominent female artists in today’s China”, is an activist, painter, photographer, actress, and filmmaker. She was the first woman to openly come out as lesbian on Chinese state television. Her lead role in “Fish and Elephant” (Yu Li, 2001) played a significant role in the film winning awards at the Venice, Berlin, and Toronto film festivals in 2001, marking it as the first Chinese feature film depicting lesbian women. Her films and artworks have been showcased at numerous film festivals and exhibitions worldwide. Since 2008, Shi Tou has also served as the coordinator for China Queer Independent Films.

Mingming is an activist and artist working with photography and independent film. She is best known for her films, including “Women Fifty Minutes,” “Gang Xiang,” and “We Want to Get Marriage.” Her films have been featured in many film festivals in China, Taiwan, Europe, and the USA. The film “Dream on the Wall” won the gold prize at the 2010 Chinese Documentary Festival held in Hong Kong. Shi Tou is one of the few female artists who resided in the Yuanmingyuan artist village, where young contemporary artists gathered in the early 1990s. Both Shi Tou and Mingming actively support the work for LGBTQ+ rights and women’s rights.

About the film “Women Fifty Minutes”

The film “Women Fifty Minutes” (2006) is co-produced by Shi Tou and Mingming, and is approximately an hour long. It was primarily filmed in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the remote and expanding southwestern China, as well as in major cities like Beijing from 2000 to 2004. The documentary captures the social changes in contemporary China, portraying women from different backgrounds and locations as they work, pray, gaze at the sky, and fall in love.

Program

17:30–18:00: Networking in Panora’s foyer
18:00: Film screening “Women Fifty Minutes”
19:00–19:45: Talk with the artists Shi Tou and Mingming. The talk will be moderated by C. Grace Chang, and the interpretation will be provided by Martin Eriksson. The talk will be conducted in English.

The talk is part of the initiative “Öppna Malmö,” focusing on the theme of artistic freedom, and is a collaboration between Malmö Konsthall, Panora cinema, and ajabu! Film. Shi Tou and Mingming are in Malmö during the spring, invited by Malmö Konsthall, Unicorn – Artists in Solidarity, and IASPIS.