Chinese American Nights Clubs 1936-1970
Thursday May 19, 7:00 p.m.
Join us for a fascinating look at San Francisco’s internationally celebrated Chinese American nightclub scene and its performers with filmmaker and writer Arthur Dong on Thursday, May 19th at 7:00 p.m. in the Barth Community Room. A recipient of an Oscar nomination, a Peabody Award and an NEH grant, Dong will discuss his research on Chinese American nightclubs in San Francisco during the years 1936 to 1970, the focus of his book, Forbidden City, USA. In 1985 Author Dong began the research for his award-winning documentary on this little-known chapter of entertainment history, and has since then become arguably the foremost aficionado on the topic. Forbidden City U.S.A.: Chinese American Nightclubs, 1936-1970 received a 2015 American Book Award and the Independent Publisher’s IPPY Award.
San Francisco native Arthur Dong's film career began with Public, an animated Super-8 film shot on his bedroom floor. The five-minute film earned first prize at the California High School Film Festival and was the young filmmaker's introduction to the power of film as a tool for progressive change. Since then, Dong has continued to combine the art of the visual medium with an investigation of social issues. His documentaries include Hollywood Chinese, Sewing Woman, Forbidden City, USA, Coming Out Under Fire, Family Fundamentals, and Licensed to Kill. His latest production is The Killing Fields of Dr. Haing S. Ngor.
Besides his Oscar nomination and Peabody awards, Mr. Dong has received three Sundance Film Festival awards, the Berlin Film Festival's Teddy Award, Taipei's Golden Horse Award, and five Emmy nominations. He has served on the boards of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Film Independent, OutFest, and the National Film Preservation Board at the Library of Congress. A two-time Rockefeller Media Arts Fellow as well as a Guggenheim Fellow in Film, Dong is currently Distinguished Professor in Film at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.
Learn all about this dazzling chapter in entertainment and Chinese American history when Arthur Dong visits Crowell Public Library, Thursday, May 19th at 7:00 p.m. Copies of the book will be available for purchase.
