“Arise! Arise! Chinese women, arise!”

- Qiu Jin

 Meet the “Chinese Joan of Arc,” Qiu Jin (1875-1907), a radical women’s rights activist who defied Tradition. Qiu Jin boldly challenged conventional gender roles and demanded equal rights and opportunities for women. She was the first woman to lead an armed uprising against the corrupt Qing Dynasty, for which she was captured and executed. She became the first female martyr for China’s 1911 Revolution and is celebrated as a national heroine today. While Qiu Jin is a familiar figure in China, she is largely unknown outside of the country. AUTUMN GEM is the first documentary feature on Qiu Jin in the U.S. Using scholar interviews, archival materials, and dramatic recreation scenes based on her original writings, AUTUMN GEM brings the story of Qiu Jin to life.

The hour-long film was produced and directed by two San Francisco Bay Area Chinese American filmmakers, Rae Chang and Adam Tow. It stars former China National Martial Arts Champion and Hollywood stunt actress Li Jing. The project’s partners include the San Francisco Chinese Culture Center, the San Diego Chinese Historical Society, and the Official Qiu Jin Museum in Shaoxing, China.
AUTUMN GEM has screened at over forty venues nationwide, including Stanford University, UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, Princeton,  and  the Tribeca Film Center in New York.

The South Pasadena Public Library and the Friends of the South Pasadena Library will host a screening of the film on Thursday, October 21, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. in the Community Room at 1115 El Centro Street. No tickets or reservations are necessary. Filmmakers Rae Chang and Adam Tow will attend the event and participate in a Q-and-A afterwards.