Ai Weiwei: Yours Truly (2019)
DOCUMENTARY | ART-IVISM | INTERNATIONAL
SUNDAY 25 APRIL | 1:15PM
ACMI CINEMA 1
FEATURING PERFORMANCE BY MALAIKA MFALME
Australian Premiere
Director: Cheryl Haines
Country: USA
Year: 2019
Duration: 78 mins
Language: English, Mandarin with English subtitles
Genre: Documentary
Screening Location: ACMI Cinema 1, Federation Square, Melbourne | Plan your visit to ACMI
Festival Selection
Synopsis
“It is your duty as an artist to fight for freedom of speech. That is the soul of any creativity.” - Ai Weiwei
In 2013 artist Ai Weiwei and curator Cheryl Haines created an interactive art installation ‘@Large’ on the notorious Alcatraz Island. Formerly imprisoned by the Chinese government for his art and political activism, Ai Weiwei used his experiences as inspiration. Through a unique combination of kites, Legos and postcards, Ai and Haines pay tribute to prisoners of conscience across the globe.
Ai Weiwei: Yours Truly offers a unique look at Ai’s artistic process, along with the impact of @Large on both the exhibition’s visitors and the political prisoners who received postcards, while delving Ai Weiwei’s own experiences of exile. Visually impressive and uplifting, this film is a celebration of freedom of speech, human rights and the power of art.
Unclassified 15+
pre-film performance by MALAIKA MFALME
Malaika Mfalme {Angel King} is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist producing on Gadigal Land. Angel King writes beautifully evoking music that'll step on your heart and lift you away from daily chaos and monotony. Malaika is here to create a safe space focused on healing with a powerful message of kindness, acceptance and reflection vibrating through every one of their sonic outputs. Mfalmes ink-stained fingers play sweet melodic guitar alongside strikingly smooth vocals layered with a looping pedal that reminds you their name is Angel for a reason. Malaika’s work gifts you with the intention to feel and remember those of us we’ve lost, their debut Single “Imagine If You Were Here” is a tribute to those who grieve uniting any room with the knowledge of our one true constant in life.
Instagram: @ malaika
https://linktr.ee/malaikamusic
Spotify: Malaika Mfalme "Imagine If You Were Here"
Community Impact Partner
The PEN Melbourne Centre is one of 147 PEN International centres worldwide whose members defend freedom of expression and promote the written word. PEN Melbourne brings writers together from across cultures to share experiences, ideas and conduct public conversations about how literature transforms, influences and fosters cross-cultural exchange. PEN Melbourne focuses on women writers, First Nations writers, writers in prison, and in the Asia and Pacific region.
PEN campaigns on behalf of writers who are persecuted, imprisoned and silenced and we let them know they are not alone.