The Hong Kong Studies Initiative (HKSI) Newsletter

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1 April 2025

Hosted by the Department of Asian Studies, the Hong Kong Studies Initiative (HKSI) at the University of British Columbia is devoted to promoting the teaching and research of this most-improbable metropolis, both as an extraordinary Chinese city and as a spectacular international and transnational hub.

SPOTLIGHT EVENT - VANCOUVER PREMIERE

Asian Independent Cinema Showcase 2025
Vancouver Premiere of K-Family Affairs and
Virtual Conversation with Director Arum Nam

Date: Thursday, April 3, 2025
Time: 18:30-20:00 (Film Screening); 20:00-20:30 (Virtual Q&A)
Venue: C300 Theatre, UBC Robson Square
Address: 800 Robson Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 3B7 | Map | Directions

Join director Arum Nam in her journey that delves into her parents’ integral roles in shaping Korea’s democratization. Her award-winning documentary K-Family Affairs uses their family history as a lens to examine the broader political landscape of the country.

Director Arum Nam will share her filmmaking experience with the audience in the virtual post-screening conversation to be conducted in English.

The film is in Korean with English subtitles.

All are welcome. Free admission.
Limited seats available. Registration required.

Read more about the UBC Asian Independent Cinema Showcase here.

COMMUNITY EVENT

書展 x 對話
從香港到世界的藝術旅程
Book Exhibition x Community Talk
From Hong Kong to the World Through the Eyes of Artists

日期: 2025年4月26日 (星期六)
時間: 3-5pm (對話 Conversation); 12:30-3pm and 5-6pm (書展 Book Exhibition) 地點: 卑詩大學 UBC Asian Center Auditorium
地址: 1871 West Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z | 地圖 Map | 泊車 Parking
語言: 廣東話

對話 Conversation

四位來自香港的藝術家及文化工作者 — 演員Debby Leung、電影工作者羅志明、多媒體藝術家譚浩及音樂創作人handwash — 將會分享他們在加拿大的創作歷程，面對環境轉變的挑戰與啟發，並探討在藝術創作及發表的過程中如何游走於不同文化、記憶、語言及身份之間。
In the public conversation, four artists and cultural practitioners from Hong Kong– actor Debby Leung, filmmaker Jimmy Lo, multimedia artist Ho Tam, and musician handwash — will share their creative journeys in Canada, from challenges to inspirations. Together they will also explore how art empowers the traveling between cultures, memories, languages, and identities.

書展 Book Exhibition

展覽及售賣有關香港藝術和文化的中文書籍及二手中文書。出售二手書所得收入將捐贈給溫哥華香港協進會。
In the book exhibition, Chinese-language books about Hong Kong art and culture and and second-hand Chinese-language books will be available for purchase. The revenue generated will be donated to Vancouver Hong Kong Forum Society.

歡迎公眾參與，免費入場。
Event in Cantonese. Open to all. Free admission. Registration required.

ON CAMPUS

2024/25 Yip So Man Wat Memorial Lecture
Journey into Exile: The Rare Books of the National Peiping Library, 1933–1941
Guest speaker: Professor Sophie Volpp (UC Berkeley)

Date: Thursday, April 10, 2025 – Friday April 11, 2025
Venue: Auditorium, Asian Centre
Address: 1871 West Mall, Vancouver, BC

More details.

MAKE A GIFT

UBC Giving Day 2025
Support the UBC Hong Kong Studies Initiative
April 3 is UBC Giving Day. Please consider making a donation to support our work at the UBC Hong Kong Studies Initiative.

The Hong Kong Studies Initiative Program Fund was established to support the programming priorities of the Hong Kong Studies Initiative at the University of British Columbia, among them:

course developments and other Hong Kong-related teaching initiatives
academic lectures, conferences, and workshops
community outreach and events

We invite you to join us on this venture. Tax-deductible gifts to the Hong Kong Studies Initiative Program Fund can be made online at http://support.ubc.ca/hksi/.

We thank you for your ongoing support!

PAST EVENT

March 13: Co-curated and co-presented by the Asian Independent Cinema Showcase (AICS) and TFAI x Taiwan Docs, the second screening program of the AICS 2025 featured three award-winning documentary shorts from Taiwan, directed by Laha MEBOW, HUNG Wei-lin, and PAN Hsin-an, respectively. The three directors discussed the intersection of identity, memory, and filmmaking in the post-screening conversation moderated by AICS co-curators Jimmy Lo and Dr. Helena Wu (photos).

Please kindly consider a tax-deductible donation to HKSI (hksi.ubc.ca/support-us). Thank you, as always, for your support of the UBC Hong Kong Studies Initiative.