Being & Becoming, the Cinemas of Asia

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The mid-1980s saw a burst of energy from the cinemas of Asia, from Iran to China, Taiwan, Turkey and India. The names of Asian directors and stars entered the vocabulary of film circles around the world. And in the years since then, Asian filmmakers have followed a variety of trajectories in presenting their work outside of their home markets, cooperating with Hollywood, or across borders in Asia, or venturing out through international film festival circuits. What were the various factors at play in the rise of Asian cinema? How has the development of Asian cinema industries and styles played out against the Hollywood model? And importantly, what are the differences that come from reading Asian films on the one hand, within the political and social contexts of their home country, and on the other, as cinema in a global context? This essential reference work covers the cinema of some 30 countries in Asia, with essays that bring together historical, political and social background with perceptive commentary on trends and directions. About the authors: Twenty-nine eminent historians and critics of film in Asia, almost all of them from the countries about which they write, are marshaled here by the editors of Cinemaya magazine, a New Delhi-edited journal which provided unparalleled independent coverage of the breadth of Asian cinema since 1986.