Experimental Documentary, 9 minutes, 2024
HD, Archival film, digital transfer photography
A film by Chi-Jang Yin
World Premiere, International Competition
The 70th International Short Film Festival Oberhausen, Germany (Internationale Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen)
Film Market
Visions du Réel Festival International de cinéma Nyon, VdR–Film Market, Switzerland
Synopsis
Newly uncovered 16mm footage from US Army archives recorded the bare land of Hiroshima and the questions of war tactics on the human race immersed in the present time.
"I Was There" is a trilogy of experimental documentary films that explores the problem of radiation, our society's fading collective memory of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the unresolved debate between ethics and science. These series concern the immediate effects of weaponized nuclear technology, as invisible poison, on the human body. (View the other two series I WAS THERE, and I WAS THERE, Part III)
Credits
Directed, written, edited, research | CHI JANG YIN
Sound editing and engineer | KEVIN CAGNOLATTI
Music | ANN YI, PIANO (Bach, Concerto No. 5. BWV1056)
Graphic Design & Typography Design | CAITLIN MESKILL
Archival Films | The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
Moving Images Relating to Military Activities
Maps and Graphics | Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
Archival Photographs | US National Archives
Experimental Documentary, 14 minutes, 2023
Archival film, digital transfer photography, HD
A film by Chi-Jang Yin
World Premiere: The 27th Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival, Czech Republic
Film Review: “The film's experimental framing-- layering archival footage of military forces working on the atomic bomb over images in present day, layering declassified letters from U.S. government officials regarding the use of the bomb over footage of the U.S. military's work in its development--does a great job of connecting past and present. Dr. Hida's recollections as a witness of the bombing of Hiroshima, combined with an intuitive and creative sound design, encourage the viewer to feel the weight of this indelible experience. “ – True/False Film Festival programming team
Synopsis
Meditating on the survivor's memories, "I Was There" traces the experience of a physician for the past 70 years, who recounted his day as a rare witness when the atomic bomb was dropped in Hiroshima. The poignant and thought-provoking evidence of the secret war tactics reveals the human value during times of war in conflicts.
Saving American lives is the commonly known and acceptable narrative of why the United States government dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. However, this narrative contradicts the finding in personal and petition letters, and arsenal photography housed at the Truman Presidential Museum. The evidence uncovers a rather surprising reason for testing the atomic bomb on humans – competing for war power against Russia and securing the US dominant role in global politics.
"I Was There" is a trilogy of experimental documentary films that explores the problem of radiation, our society's fading collective memory of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the unresolved debate between ethics and science. These series concern the immediate effects of weaponized nuclear technology, as invisible poison, on the human body. (View the other two series, I WAS THERE, Part II, and I WAS THERE, Part III.)
Film Distribution: Video Data Back, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Credits
Directed, Sound Design, Edited, Research by Chi Jang Yin
In Memory Of
Dr. Shuntaro Hida (January 1, 1917 – March 20, 2017)
Experimental film, 7 min, HD, 2021
A film by Chi-Jang Yin
World Premiere: Alytus International Film Festival, Short Film Award Competition Program, Lithuania
Official selection: Vienna International Human Rights Film Festival, Short Film Award Competition Program, Austria
Antakya International Film Festival, Experimental Film Competition Program, Turkey
Synopsis
"I Was There, Part III" reexamined J. Robert Oppenheimer's speech at the Princeton Theological Seminary in 1958. The illusion of the constant, never-ending questions between ethics and sciences highlights the incompleteness of human consciousness.
"I Was There" is a trilogy of experimental documentary films that explores the problem of radiation, our society's fading collective memory of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the unresolved debate between ethics and science. These series concern the immediate effects of weaponized nuclear technology, as invisible poison, on the human body.
Ever since the mass destruction of weapons used on humans, Oppenheimer, the tragic icon of the "father of the atomic bomb," said the danger of accumulated knowledge will outpace human capacity to make wise decisions on how to use this new knowledge. Ironically, he argued that the perpetual questioning of the effects of one's decisions on human welfare is a primary human responsibility.
Credits
Camera, Sound Composition and Design, Editing, Author: Chi-Jang Yin
Experimental Video, 4 min, HD, 2019
Synopsis
Simulated systemic violence and power are captured by films and videos throughout the 1984 Deng Xiaoping National Day Parade, 1989 Tiananmen Square Protests, and 2014 Umbrella Movement. No incident is an isolated event.
For a preview or screening copy, please send an inquiry to the director, Chi Jang Yin.
Experimental Video, 4 min, HD, 2019
Synoipsis
The absurdity of a situation where an act of waiting for something to happen represents the ethereal, the unknown, and a self-reflection.
For a preview or screening copy, please send an inquiry to the director, Chi Jang Yin.
Silent, super 8 film, experimental film, , 2010, 3 min
Sponsored by Kodak and Chicago Filmmakers, I am one of the filmmakers who have been commissioned to make a piece specifically for this Super-8 film show. Each filmmaker was given a roll to shoot, all editing was done in-camera, and no one was allowed to see the films prior to the screening.
“The commonplace becomes magical, shadows adopt architectural form, sunlight refracts through glassware and spilt fluid.”–Bren O’Callaghan
Exhibition:
The Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art (Manchester), UK
Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art, Nottingham Contemporary. UK
Turner Contemporary (Margate) an artist film series from HOME (Manchester) and a symposium hosted by Tate Research Centre: Asia (London), UK
Experimental Documentary, 16 min, 2009, HD
Synopsis
“Lighthouse” is about the labor system and the factory town in Southern China and how individualism is influenced by the social and political infrastructure. Guangdong District is the largest Metropolitan area in one of China's wealthiest provinces, and one of its cities, Guangzhou, attracts farmers from the countryside looking for factory work. The viewer is led to composing narratives through the poetic and sublime images actively. It opens borders that separate cultural, linguistic, and historical differences in the global labor systems.
Film distribution: Video Data Bank, The School of Art Institute of Chicago
Credits
Cinematography, editing, and sound recording by Chi Jang Yin
Camera and sound recording assistant, Alex Tomaras
Sound mixing by Louis Mallozzi, Experimental Sound Studio
Awards
2013 Best Film on Experimental Video Architecture, Fiaticorti Film Festival, Italy
2009 Distinction Prize Award, the Lazniz Centre for Contemporary Art, Poland
International Premiere
2009 Amsterdam International Documentary Film Festival (IDFA), The Netherlands
Selected Exhibitions + Film Festivals
2011 Toronto International Film Festival, Canada
2011 European Media Arts Festival, Osnabrouck, Germany
2011 Rome Independent Film Festival (RIFF), Italy
2010 Chicago Filmmakers (solo film program)
2010 The Chicago Underground Film Festival
Most Reviewed
“Lighthouse captures reality without comment and leaves the questions and answers to us.” – Amsterdam International Documentary Film Festival (IDFA), The Netherlands
“Very little of the sound you hear corresponds temporally to what you see; people are seen and not heard, heard and not seen. Ambient noise is suggestive of the onscreen image, but never clearly the same. This near-total absence of speaking faces and unmodified footage has two notable effects. The first is that the viewer is in communication primarily with the filmmaker, never straying too far after an illusion of narrative. LIGHTHOUSE steals intimate moments from unsuspecting men and women from a security camera's distance.” – Cine List, Guide to Experimental/Avant-garde Cinema
Experimental Video, 2010, 6 min
Synopsis
Fifty years after the Cultural Revolution in China, two elderly Chinese women recited the propaganda songs they learned at the educational camps. Walking along a Chinese village river, the women sing these songs while the film shows shots of the river. For most of the film, we don’t see either of the women’s faces as they reflect and narrate their past. The robbing of their youth in these camps causes them to dwell on their feeling of nostalgia and regret.
Credits
Cinematography, editing, and sound recording/mixing by Chi Jang Yin
Premiere
New Short Films by Chi Jang Yin, DePaul Art Museum, Chicago IL
Screening + Festivals
Onion City Experimental Film And Video Festival
Both Sides Now 3 – UK Tour (Presented by videoclub and Videotage)
Institute of Contemporary Arts (12 Carlton House Terrace, London)
Phoenix Cinema and Arts Centre (4 Midland Street, Leicester)
Experimental Documentary, 9 min, 2006
Synopsis
The Glasshouse examines the creative process of a modern architect building a home made from glass and concrete for his family. This video sees through the lens, and becomes a site of interpretation, reflection, and family dynamics explored from complex, multi-faceted perspectives. Yin composed the sound tracks and this time she collaborated with composer Jason Roebke to create an original score for the video.
Award
Best Film on Architecture, Asolo Art Film Festival, Asolo city, Italy
Selected Exhibitions + Film Festivals
Chicago Architecture in Motion, Chicago Filmmakers
Slag Glass City and the State of Art in Chicago, moderated and curated by Barrie Jean Borich, DePaul Art Museum
The American Architect in Focus, Block Museum of Art, Northwestern University
Karachi International Film Festival, Pakistan (Documentaries Series)
New Short Films by Chi Jang Yin, DePaul Art Museum
Most Reviewed
“Chi-Jang Yin's Glass House (2005) uses various techniques to bring the architecture to life; for example, shadowy see-through figures underscore the way light undercuts the solidity of the interior it fills.”– Fred Camper
Credits
Director, sound design, editor and cinematographer: Chi-Jang Yin
Producer: Thomas Roszak
Construction and home video footages: Thomas Roszak and Justyna Roszak
Cinematography assistant: Ross Heran, Alex Tomaras
Lighting assistant and timelapse technician: Ross Heran
Post-production assistant: Jordan Abraham
Musical composition: Jason Roebke
Electric Guitar: Fred Lonberg-Holm
Bass: Jason Roebke
Cello: Ben Vida
Experimental Video, 12 min, 2008
Synopsis
"No story is so personal that it's untouched by the political and economic environment in which it takes place. The conversation in FOR THE UNSEEN ends with a crash exchange that adds a painful layer to a complicated interaction." – written by Josephine Ferorelli, Cine-File “Crucial Viewing"
Production Credit
Cinematography, editing, and sound recording/mixing by Chi Jang Yin
Award
Athen International Film and Video Festival, OH, Grand Prize
Premiere
Los Angeles Film Festival (LAFF), "Short Film Competition", Majestic Crest Theatre, Los Angeles
Asian Art Biennial, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
Experimental Video, 4 min, 2005
Synopsis
This video examines the iconic World Wide Web branding of the global marketplace, which creates disconnection and contrasts with the labor system in society. Three Chinese construction workers deconstruct an old house while the Internet brand names scroll across the screen. The viewer is asked to place their knowledge of the Internet and the globalization set against one’s perception of the lived experience of the manual laborers.
Credits
Camera, written and edited by Chi-Jang Yin
Premiere
The Center of Contemporary Art in Bulgaria
Experimental Video, 7 minute, DV, 2003
This performative video addresses a conflict of spectatorship – dialectics relationship in memory, interpretation and reality. A young woman sits in front of the camera. Her face dramatically obscures by make-up and a synthetic wig. She describes a strange experience she had with her husband in a theater. The subject shows the inability to discourse the memory and personal identity through the complexities of language and logic. The juxtaposition of life videos is taken from three different perspectives. Memory, present and fantasy are unexpectedly synched and un-synched. There is an affair. Or is there? There is an actress. Or is there? This scenario dramatically raises the question of the realities through an experiment in narrative, performance and video.
Credits
Directed, produced, and edited by Chi Jang Yin
Cinematography by Tetusya Hiroshima
Award
Second Grand Prize Award, Athens International Film Festival
For a previewed or screening copy, please send an inquiry to the director.
Experimental Documentary, 25 min, DV, 2001
This experimental film explores the triangular relationship between a daughter and her mother, and the Chinese Cultural Revolution. It is an experimental documentary based on the mother's violent past with its traumatic political history. The tracing of memory illuminates the difficulties of identifying mother and daughter as different people. Another Clapping is about the intimate and sublime relationship between a mother and daughter and the struggle between their actual history and the collective memory of family issues and public trauma. It is about the personal, political, and conceptual implications of a traced and displaced identity.
Credits
Cinematography, editing, and sound recording/mixing by Chi Jang Yin
Awards
Best of Film Festival, Thaw International Film and Digital Media Festival, Iowa City
Illinois Arts Council, Finalist Award for Media Arts, Chicago
Best Documentary Short, Georgetown Independent Film Festival, Washington DC
Finalist Award, Asian American Film and Video Showcase, Chicago
Most Reviewed
“A moving autobiographical meditation that uses fragments—voice-over, printed titles, phone messages, and old photographs, some with her father's image cut out—to tell the story of a family fractured by domestic violence and the forces of history and to explore the ambiguous feelings between mother and daughter. Footage from the Cultural Revolution, including shots of kids humiliating an old man, forms an eerie parallel to the daughter's alienation.”
–Fred Camper
“ANOTHER CLAPPING has two acts of obscured violence at its heart: Yin intersperses her own uncertain account of the abuse that led to her parents' divorce with a stunning, repeated archival image of a man striking something unknown with the blade of a shovel. Propaganda from the cultural revolution, a pre-revolution musical recording, and beautifully prosaic footage of the filmmaker's mother surround this beating heart and alter its rhythm. The second effect is the quieter but ever-present question of anonymity, both political and personal.”
–Cine List, Guide to Experimental/Avant-garde Cinema
Helmut Bartsch designed this building in 1963 with the influence of Bauhaus Schools (1919–1933) in Germany. The building, owned and commissioned by the music school at DePaul University, demolished in 2016. It has been significant interest to historians and preservationists of modern architecture. The memory of sites and architectures induces the longing for abstraction, clean lines, basic shapes, and forms.
Medium & size: digital photography, 35X48 inches each
Featured at Lens Culture: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Any unauthorized copying of the work will be subject to legal consequences.
Shot over three years in China (2009-2011), this photography project portrays migrant workers in Guangdong, China, and investigates the performative gesture of body language in the setting of collective gatherings.
Medium & size: digital photography, 35X48 inches each
Exhibited and collected by DePaul Art Museum
Any unauthorized copying of the work will be subject to legal consequences.
