on november 16th, 2012, tsinghua sppm film society screened acclaimed chinese director feng xiaogang’s aftershock, a film about the 1976 tangshan earthquake. we had our largest turnout yet with students from within and outside sppm! the film was chosen at the request of impa students who had recently visited the site of the wenchuan earthquake, and from their experience, the impa students led a personal and informative discussion on the film and the state of post-disaster society. at one point during the discussion, a japanese student in attendance offered her gratitude to the chinese for their relief support after the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami in japan. overall, it was a very heartfelt dialogue that reflected the international cooperation and cultural exchange sppm cultivates on campus as well as the film society strives to achieve by analyzing film as an art form through the eyes of an international community.
(from emily he, mid 2012)