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      • Trusted Partner
        The Arts
        January 2019

        European Film Noir

        by Andrew Spicer

        European Film Noir is the first book to bring together specialist discussions of film noir in specific European national cinemas. Written by leading scholars, this groundbreaking study provides an authoritative understanding of an important aspect of European cinema and of film noir itself, for too long considered as a solely American form. The Introduction reviews the problems of defining film noir, its key characteristics and discusses its significance to the development of European film, the relationship of specific national films noirs to each other, to American noir and to historical and social change. Eight chapters then discuss film noir in France, Germany, Britain and Spain, analysing both earlier developments and the evolution of neo-noir through to the present. A further chapter explores film noir in Italian cinema where its presence is not so well defined. Each piece provides a critical overview of the most significant films in relation to their industrial and social contexts. European Film Noir is an important contribution to the study of European cinema that will have a broad appeal to undergraduates, cinéastes, film teachers and researchers.

      • Trusted Partner
        December 2020

        Festivals of Chinese Ethnic Groups·Xibo: The Face-blackening Festival

        by Yan Xiangjun, Gui Runnian

        Every year on January 16th of the lunar calendar, the Xibo people celebrate a unique festival -- the “Face-blackening Festival”. This peculiar festival that features with smearing each other's faces has a magical origin. This book uses the unique legends of the Xibo people to describe the origin of the “Face-blackening Festival”. Behind that legend is the Xibo people’s yearning for a bumper harvest, their resistance to natural disasters, and their praise of the virtues of diligence and thrift. They use a vivid and interesting story to express their best wishes and safeguard notes to future generations while planting the seeds of kindness and frugality in the details of life.

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        Half the Quilt(Youth Edition)

        by Xiaoxiang Film Group Co., Yang Fei

        Half of the Quilt(Youth Edition) is based on the movie Heart for Heart (produced by Xiaoxiang Film Group and directed by Meng Qi). In October 1934, the fifth anti-encirclement failed, the Central Red Army evacuated the Soviet Union and began the Long March. The Red Army field hospital was bombed by enemy planes and suffered heavy casualties. Dong Xiuyun, a female soldier who stayed at the field hospital to look after the wounded, decided to take the wounded with her and chase the troops. Dong Xiuyun took in the soldiers of the various units who were left alone along the road, forming a special team. After the team came to Shazhou Village, the three female Red Army lived in Xu Xiexiu's house. When parting, Dong Xiuyun cut the only one quilt in half to Xu Xiexiu. This book nourishes the young people's spiritual world with red culture, inherits the red gene, and allows the spirit of the Long March to be passed on from generation to generation among children.

      • Trusted Partner
        December 2020

        Festivals of Chinese Ethnic Groups·Yao: The King Pan Festival

        by Yan Xiangjun, Zheng Xiaojuan

        This book mainly introduces the origin of the Yao ethnic group's King Pan Festival. The King Gao rebelled. In order to encourage his people to actively fight back and win the war, Emperor Ku made a promise: Whoever can cut off the head of the King Gao will marry his beautiful little daughter -- the third princess. After hearing of the news, Pan Hu who was a dragon dog managed to achieve the goal. However, the emperor did not want to keep his promise after learning that Pan Hu was a dragon dog. The third princess found that Pan Hu was very kind and brave, and decided to marriage him. Later, the third princess learned that Pan Hu could become a human as long as he was steamed in a steamer for seven days and nights. After Pan Hu was transformed into a human, the emperor sent Pan Hu to the Kuaiji Mountain to be the king. From then on, Pan Hu was called King Pan Hu. Later, during a hunting process, King Pan Hu fell off a cliff and died. In order to commemorate him, people set his birthday October 16th in the lunar calendar as the “King Pan Festival”.

      • Trusted Partner
        December 2020

        Festivals of Chinese Ethnic Groups·Lisu: The Knife-Pole Festival

        by Yan Xiangjun, He Xu

        This book mainly describes the origin of the Lisu Knife-Pole Festival. February 8th of the lunar calendar is an important day for the Lisu people to celebrate the Knife-Pole Festival. Regarding the origin of the Knife-Pole Festival, there is a legendary story of a hero Wang Ji circulating in the Lisu tribe. According to legend, Wang Ji was a rare talent at the time who was proficient in the art of war, was courageous and strategic, and cared about the people. At that time, other ethnic groups often invaded the border of Yunnan, and the Lisu people living there were unable to resist. Wang Ji led the defence and defeated intruders with the assistance of the Lisu people. In order to commemorate the hero Wang Ji, the Lisu people named the day when Wang Ji was dead — February 8th as the “Knife-Pole Festival”.

      • Trusted Partner
        The Arts
        June 2021

        Medieval film

        by Anke Bernau, Bettina Bildhauer

        Medieval film explores theoretical questions about the ideological, artistic, emotional and financial investments inhering in cinematic renditions of the medieval period. What does it mean to create and watch a 'medieval film'? What is a medieval film and why are they successful? This is the first work that attempts to answer these questions, drawing, for instance, on film theory, postcolonial theory, cultural studies and the growing body of work on medievalism. Contributors investigate British, German, Italian, Australian, French, Swedish and American film, exploring topics such translation, temporality, film noir, framing and period film - and find the medieval lurking in inexpected corners. In addition it provides in-depth studies of individual films from different countries including The Birth of a Nation to Nosferatu, and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Medieval Film will be of interest to medievalists working in disciplines including literature, history, to scholars working on film and in cultural studies. It will also be of interest to undergraduates, postgraduates and to an informed enthusiast in film or/and medieval culture.

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        Children's & YA

        The Dragon Lantern

        China Story Picture Books

        by Yi Ping

        China Story Picture Books is the first set of children's picture books launched by the Bingxin Award Committee. This set of books covers the works of seven Bingxin Award-winning writers of different ages including children's literature masters and promising young writers. The illustrations are full of traditional Chinese cultural elements such as dragon lantern dance, paper cutting, oil paper umbrella, and bamboo. Powerful painters at home and abroad are invited to do illustrations, which brings interesting fusion and collision of Chinese and foreign cultures to the books. In addition to the original illustrations, the stories are more touching. Every child can harvest the courage and wisdom for growing up from these stories.   The series consists of 7 picture books: The Dragon Lantern, The Path of Golden Flowers, The Child in Three-Story Attic, The School Day Gifts, The Secret of Crossing, The Slope of Sisters.   The Dragon Lantern tells a folk story of the Spring Festival. Yuanyuan and Fangfang are twins, and they have a common wish: to have a big lantern on the day of the Spring Festival. When the new year comes, the dragon in the dragon lantern jumps into the sky and turns into a fire dragon with colorful lights. He takes the God of Fortune, the Door God, the Kitchen God and the Lord Rabbit for a walk in the sky, laughs, and brings everyone the blessings of the festival.

      • Trusted Partner
        December 2020

        Festivals of Chinese Ethnic Groups·Qiang: The Waerezu Festival

        by Yan Xiangjun, Chen Xunru

        This book mainly introduces the origin of Qiang ethnic group's Waerezu Festival. Long long ago, a young girl came to Mao County, Sichuan Province, where the Qiang people lived. She was Sister Shalang and loved to sing. In order to seize Sister Shalang, the local chieftain burned up the azaleas where village women danced and sang. While azaleas were burned, Sister Shalang was dying. The people in the village then got to know that Sister Shalang was the goddess of azaleas! To commemorate her, the Qiang people started to gather dew, sing and dance, and worship the mountain gods every year on May fifth of the lunar calendar when azaleas bloom. Over time, this event has evolved into a festival for Qiang women -- that was how the Waerezu Festival has initiated.

      • Trusted Partner
        December 2020

        Festivals of Chinese Ethnic Groups·Nu: The Flower Festival

        by Yan Xiangjun, Zuo Hanzhong

        This book mainly introduces the origin of the Nu ethnic group's Flower Festival. A beautiful Nu girl used her ingenuity to help the Nu people solve the problem of crossing the river. Later, the wealthy bully wanted to marry her because of her beauty and intelligence. She fled to the cave but was killed by the bully on March 15th of the lunar calendar. Later, when people went to worship her on March 15th, they found that the cave was full of flowers. Thus, people called that day the “Flower Festival”.

      • Trusted Partner
        December 2020

        Festivals of Chinese Ethnic Groups·Dong; The King Lin Festival

        by Yan Xiangjun, Xuan Sen

        This book mainly describes the origin of the Dong ethnic group's King Lin Festival to commemorate the Dong's hero Lin Kuan. According to the legend, Lin Kuan was born with supernatural power. In order to resist the tyranny at that time, Lin Kuan called the poor and young people in the Dong village to revolt, but eventually died when he tried to protect his people. Lin Kuan became a hero of the Dong people. His story has been handed down by generations of the Dong people. Every year on the first day of June of the lunar calendar, the Dong people gather together to spend the “King Lin Festival”. This book also describes the various activities of the Dong’s King Lin Festival and introduces an overview of the Dong people in China.

      • Trusted Partner
        December 2020

        Festivals of Chinese Ethnic Groups·Yi: The Torch Festival

        by Yan Xiangjun, Chen Anmin

        This book mainly introduces the origin of the Yi ethnic group's Torch Festival. It tells the story of a Yi youth Heitilaba fighting a decisive battle with the son of a god for his sweetheart. In the duel, the son of the god Sireabi was defeated and died. In order to punish the world, the god threw locusts on the world to eat crops. In order to save the crops, Heitilaba led the people to burn the locusts with torches, and finally fell to the ground and turned into a big mountain. In order to commemorate him, June 24th, when he turned into a mountain, was designated as the Torch Festival.

      • Trusted Partner
        December 2020

        Festivals of Chinese Ethnic Groups·She: The Black Rice Festival

        by Yan Xiangjun, Liao Zhenghua

        This book mainly introduces the origin of the She ethnic group's Black Rice Festival. While areas of the She ethnic group suffered from pests, the land owners increased rents and fees. As a result, the She people were in shortage of food. Lan Tianfeng led people to the land owner's house to steal food. After being found out, Lan Tianfeng stepped forward to protect others and was imprisoned on March 3rd. There was no food in the prison for him. Later, some She people used black rice leaves to cook rice. The jailers did not dare to eat the black rice and passed the rice to Tianfeng. Over time, Lan Tianfeng slowly recovered. Three years later, again on March 3rd, Lan Tianfeng was rescued. In order for future generations to commemorate the feat of Lan Tianfeng and remember how hard to have rice, the Black Rice Festival is celebrated every year.

      • Trusted Partner
        December 2020

        Festivals of Chinese Ethnic Groups·Shui: The Duan Festival

        by Yan Xiangjun, Chen Anmin

        This book mainly describes the origin and changes of the Shui ethnic group's Duan Festival. Through the evolution of folklore of this unique festival of Shui ethnic group, this book tells that Shui people have the courage to move away from the barren old homeland and open up new places of residence by hard work. In the beautiful and fertile new hometown, people were united to defend the fruits of their labor and finally built a peaceful new life. The Shui people leveraged the customs of festivals to pass on the good wishes and construction experience of their ancestors from generation to generation.

      • Trusted Partner
        Children's & YA

        Different Spring Festival

        by Gao Jing

        The story happens in an ordinary Chinese family. It features the extraordinary scene of the Chinese Lunar New Year in 2020 under the sudden attack of the COVID-19 pandemic, answering the question asked by the little protagonist, "Why can't we hang out?" The book is both informative and humanistic, for it not only incorporates COVID-19 pevention knowledge into the story, such as what the novel coronavirus is, how it spreads, and what control and prevention measures should be implemented to fight against it, but also touches readers' heart by demonstrating family affection, friendship, and true love among people with elegant watercolor images. It guides children and even their parents to develop a sense of cherish and respect for the ordinary lives.

      • Trusted Partner
      • Trusted Partner
        August 2015

        Tibetan Ethnic Group: The Sacred Bathing Festival

        by Bing Bo, Chen Yadan

        Festivals of Chinese Ethnic Groups was co-authored by China's well-beloved authors of children's literature including Fang Suzhen, Tang Sulan, Wang Yimei, and was illustrated by celebrated Chinese illustrators such as Cai Gao, Chen Yadan and Zhu Xunde. This series covers intriguing, outstanding and poetic folk tales on festivals and customs from China's ten most representative ethnic groups. Showcasing their courage, gentleness and indomitable will, these delightful stories allow readers to learn more about the distinct and charming characteristics of these ethnic groups. Recommended as parent-child reading by CCTV during the Dragon Boat Festival, this series has won the Most Beautiful Picture Book 2018 prize given by China Library Journal. It was also nominated for the top picture books prize in China for the Chinese Government Award.

      • Trusted Partner
        August 2015

        Buyi Ethnic Group: The Bull King Festival

        by Tang Sulan, Chen Xunru

        Festivals of Chinese Ethnic Groups was co-authored by China's well-beloved authors of children's literature including Fang Suzhen, Tang Sulan, Wang Yimei, and was illustrated by celebrated Chinese illustrators such as Cai Gao, Chen Yadan and Zhu Xunde. This series covers intriguing, outstanding and poetic folk tales on festivals and customs from China's ten most representative ethnic groups. Showcasing their courage, gentleness and indomitable will, these delightful stories allow readers to learn more about the distinct and charming characteristics of these ethnic groups. Recommended as parent-child reading by CCTV during the Dragon Boat Festival, this series has won the Most Beautiful Picture Book 2017 prize given by China Library Journal. It was also nominated for the top picture books prize in China for the Chinese Government Award.

      • Trusted Partner
        The Arts
        January 2019

        Realist film theory and cinema

        The nineteenth-century Lukácsian and intuitionist realist traditions

        by Ian Aitken

        'Realist film theory and cinema' embraces studies of cinematic realism and 19th century tradition, the realist film theories of Lukács, Grierson, Bazin and Kracauer, and the relationship of realist film theory to the general field of film theory and philosophy. This is the first book to attempt a rigorous and systematic application of realist film theory to the analysis of particular films. The book suggests new ways forward for a new series of studies in cinematic realism, and for a new form of film theory based on realism. It stresses the importance of the question of realism both in film studies and in contemporary life. Aitken's work will be of interest to scholars and advanced students of film studies, literary studies, media studies, cultural studies and philosophy.

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