Cinema East

2022-2023 Season

For over ten years, Pickford Film Center has been screening select choices from the vast and diverse landscape of Asian cinema. Co-presented by the Western Washington University Libraries and curated by Jeff Purdue, chosen films are often accompanied by introductions by educators and experts. From renowned icons Yasujirō Ozu and Edward Yang, to contemporary figures Hong Sang-soo and Jia Zhang-ke, Cinema East strives to provide a look into the wonderful world of Chinese, Taiwanese, Korean, and Japanese cinema.

This year marks the 13th season for Cinema East. When it began in 2009, it had a different name and focused on Japanese cinema, particularly the great films of the 30s-50s. Over time, it changed to accommodate films from other Asian countries and more recent films. In those years, we have shown over 100 films from 50 directors and 10 different countries. Despite name changes and shifts in focus, Cinema East has always had two core components: showing works from great directors of the past and present, and providing introductions from local scholars and community members who are passionate about films from the diverse countries of Asia. - Jeff Purdue, Cinema East Curator