Masters of Asian Cinema April 10 features 'The Big City'

The next Masters of Asian Cinema film is "The Big City" ("Mahanagar"), which screens at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 10, 2018 at the Pickford Film Center, 1318 Bay Street.

"The Big City" is a film of great insight and sensitivity toward its characters as they come to terms with a changing world. Renowned director Satyajit Ray's first collaboration with actress Madhabi Mukherjee features her in the role of a middle class wife who is encouraged to work in order to supplement the family’s income. She soon discovers within herself hidden power and a sense of justice and compassion that challenges expectations of her roles both at home and work. 

Co-sponsored by Western Libraries and the Pickford Film Center, the Masters of Asian Cinema series features some of the best films in World Cinema with movies spanning decades and genres. Each film in the series begins with an introduction from select speakers including local professors, artists, and educators.

"The Big City" will be introduced David Curley, professor emeritus in the Liberal Studies Department at Western.  Professor Curley has a Ph.D. in South Asian history from the University of Chicago and taught South Asian cultural history.  He has visited Kolkata, the site of this movie, about a dozen times.

The remaining films for this year’s series include Taiwanese filmmaker Chen Kuo-fu’s 2001 "The Personals," and also another feature by Taiwanese director Edward Yang, "Yi Yi."

For more information about this series, please contact Jeff.Purdue@wwu.edu.