Zuqiang Peng

My current project looks at the history of the 8.75mm film - a unique film format that was produced and circulated exclusively in China from the late 60s. As one fourth of the 35mm films, the 8.75mm film was invented partly for its portability, so that it could be used for mobile screenings in the mountains, islands, and the countryside. Slightly bigger than the super 8mm film that emerged in the US around the same time, the 8.75mm was eventually discontinued in the mid-80s. I take this medium as an entry point, to think about the relationship between the technical invention and the construction of an ‘other than urban’ spectatorship in Chinese celluloid film history. During my fellowship, I will continue my research while working on footages collected prior to my arrival for a film installation project.