Shadows

John Cassavetes is recognised as the "Master of 1960s American Independent Cinema" for his directorial debut film Shadows . Considered a genius by the likes of directors Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg, Cassavetes began as an actor and had earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor before venturing into production. The groundbreaking film stunned the industry and won the Critics Award at the 1960 Venice Film Festival for its handheld camera shots, improvised acting, close-ups and raw editing. Set in the late-1950s New York, the film deals with the racial inequality through the different social experiences of three African American siblings with varying skin tones. While the youngest sister passes as white, she is still unable to escape the shadow of racial prejudice just like her dark-skinned brother. The realistic style of the film though deceptively casual, powerfully captures the complex social issues of race amidst the background of the Beat Generation and the city of New York. Charles Mingus's improvised jazz provides the perfect soundtrack to represent the spirit of the city and its time.

35mm restored print courtesy of the UCLA Film & Television Archive. Restoration funding provided by The Film Foundation and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

Date	Time	Venue
1/5/2016 (Sun) #	2:00pm	Cinema, Hong Kong Film Archive

# Post-screening talk with Matthew Cheng

The contents of the programme do not represent the views of the presenter. The presenter reserves the right to change the programme should unavoidable circumstances make it necessary.