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The Silent Teacher
24 September 2017
Film screening, 18 October 2017, 7pm, IAS Common Ground,
ucl.ac.uk/maps/south-wing" target="_self">South Wing, Wilkins Building. European première of The Silent Teacher 那個靜默的陽光午後 (Taiwan, 2016).
A moving and intellectually provocative documentary on body donation from the perspective of one donor's family, directed by Maso Chen 陳志漢 and produced by Ging Lee 李孟津 .
Plus video Q&A with the director, and panel discussion with Professor Chris Berry (KCL Film Studies), Dr Vivienne Lo 羅維前 (UCL History) and Dr James Wilson (UCL Philosophy).
Admission by free ticket:
https://ucl-cchh_silent_teacher.eventbrite.co.uk
Synopsis
When is a corpse not a corpse? Perhaps when she is your teacher, or your wife. The Silent Teacher is a lesson in how to negotiate between the corporeal connection with a deceased loved one and a commitment to medical research.
The body of Hsu Yu-e 徐玉娥 (the 'Silent Teacher' of the title) has been donated to the College of Medicine at Fu Jen Catholic University in Taipei after her death from cancer. Her husband Lin Hui-tsung 林惠宗 expresses his continued respect and affection for his wife by bringing her news of the family, caressing her and brushing her hair, as though keeping her dead body alive through the year-long embalming process. Maso Chen follows Mr Lin on his journey as he deals with his grief, with his
troubled family, with anatomy professors and morgue workers. In parallel, the students for whom Mrs Lin becomes a 'Silent Teacher' ('Dati laoshi' 大體老師) embark on a journey that not only teaches them anatomy, but also engages them with Taiwanese customs and beliefs about life and the nature of the soul. Matter-of-fact and understated in tone, Maso Chen's first full-length documentary is both moving and intellectually provocative.
Director Maso Chen (Chen Zhihan 陳志漢)
Maso Chen began his career in community development. He believes that the visual medium is the most effective way to change the world and focuses on the creation of visual work that will have a positive social impact. In addition to being a cinematographer and a director, he co-founded The Classic Vision Co. Ltd with fellow film director and frequent collaborator Wuna Wu (Wu Tairen 吴汰紝).
Trailer
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzQjk4IFqhdwbDY5ZFlrUnotbW8/view
From the Chinese Press
Taipei Times:
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2017/03/30/2003667728/1
South China Morning Post: