Thomas Lahusen’s talk: “Documentary Filmmaking as Scholarly Practice”

6 Apr 2015 - 15:00 / 6 Apr 2015 - 17:00

The Comparative Literature Course Union cordially invites you to the inaugural talk in the Emerging Research in Comparative Literature Series:

“Documentary Filmmaking as Scholarly Practice”

A talk by Prof. Thomas Lahusen
Distinguished Professor of History and Comparative Literature, University of Toronto

Monday, 6th April, 2015
3pm – 5pm
Victoria Chapel

After outlining his methodology as a researcher and as a documentary filmmaker, Prof Lahusen will briefly describe the films he has been able to complete during the last 10 years. As an example, he will screen the first cut of a one-hour film entitled “Manchurian Memories.” Using archival footage and photographs, as well as footage shot in 2009, 2013 and 2014, the film addresses the memories of Russians, Poles, and Jews who inhabited Manchuria and the city of Harbin, the memories of the Japanese urban inhabitants and rural settlers who lived in Manchuria between 1932 and 1945 (and their tragic exodus after the Soviet invasion of 1945), and the “local” residents, the Chinese, who emigrated to Manchuria when the Qing emperors opened their “preserve” to the impoverished inhabitants of different provinces within the Great Wall. In so doing, the film addresses the issue of the “memory industry” and its commercial and political use today.

Light refreshments will be offered. We hope to see you there!

Jessica Copley & Fan Wu
Comparative Literature Course Union – Vice Presidents