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About the film

A

t the remarkable age of 92, Coby Yee, a former starlet and owner of the illustrious “Forbidden City Nightclub,” reclaimed her place in the spotlight with the senior dance troupe, Grant Avenue Follies. Led by Cynthia Yee, the ensemble brings to life the luminous nightclub era of San Francisco’s Chinatown, simultaneously shattering the conventional image of aging Asian women.

Their transnational tour across the US, Cuba, and China unfurls an exploration of diasporic Chinese entertainment and a profound understanding of their own Chinese American identities. In Havana, their co-performance with local Chinese Opera singers sparked a vibrant renaissance in the city’s dwindling Chinese community.

An emotive journey back to her father’s homeland in China gave Coby a chance to reflect on familial memories and observe the startling transformation of urban landscapes.

The film stands as a poignant chronicle of Coby’s final journey before her passing at 93, preserving her indomitable spirit. Meanwhile, the Grant Avenue Follies dance on, carrying the torch of their shared heritage.

在隐退多年后,昔日的美籍华裔传奇舞者余金巧加入“都板街舞团”,重返阔别已久的舞台。在92岁的高龄,余金巧将自己的每场表演都视为“天鹅之舞”,她总会说“这或许会是我最后一次登台了”。

舞团的创办人方美仙自幼热爱舞蹈,在耄耋之年,她召集了一群志趣相投的华裔女性,创立了怀旧舞团“都板街舞团”。她们因对中华文化和舞蹈的热爱走到了一起,并重新找回了舞蹈带来的纯粹快乐和自由。与方美仙不同,多年来,余金巧不愿公开谈论她昔日作为知名舞者的职业生涯。 直到退休后,她在舞池里遇到了比自己小近20岁的伴侣斯蒂芬·金。 和史蒂芬一起,余金巧终于开始自由地跳舞。而在加入“都板街舞团”后,她终于和自己的往事达成和解。 “都板街舞团”的成员几乎都是70-90岁的华裔女性,她们的父辈多为19世纪中后期至20世纪初抵达美国旧金山的第一批华人移民者,而身为在美国出生的第二代、第三代华裔,她们亲身见证了20世纪旧金山华埠粤剧戏院与舞蹈俱乐部的兴起至衰落。

《女人世界》是一部歌舞公路片,影片讲述了一段“都板街舞团”跨越大洋的文化寻根之旅。从美国的旧金山与拉斯维加斯,来到古巴哈瓦那的唐人街,最终抵达祖先的故乡中国大陆,实现她们一直未尽的、重返故土的心愿。在影片所到之处,她们对昔日舞台的回忆徐徐展开,每到一个演出之地,都会揭露更多主角的过往故事,观众会逐渐了解她们从少年到青年、充满传奇色彩也充满崎岖的舞蹈之路。影片融合了档案、历史资料与精彩实拍,是一场美国演艺界华人的回忆之旅,也是一段彰显生命和奋斗之美的舞者传奇。

 

影片介绍
Synopsis

导演阐述
Director’s interpretation

S

ince 2018, I have embarked on a series of research and filming about Asian American women in show business. I have created four short films and collected an extensive historical archive related to the 1940s to the present. in September 2019, the related short film, Coby and Stephen are in Love, was completed and screened to critical acclaim in the United States, mainland China, and Germany.

My first documentary feature film, Chinatown Cha-Cha, is the centerpiece of the entire project. As a mainland director with a longstanding interest in the subjects of immigration and history, I hope that by telling this story about an elderly Chinese American singing and dancing troupe, I can reaffirm the connection between the two communities, especially in the light of today’s accelerating fragmentation of the world map, and serve as a bridge that crosses national, generational, and cultural boundaries. On August 14, 2020, at the age of 93, Coby passed away suddenly from a long illness. A week before her death, she was still dancing. Like a swan, she danced to the end of her life. I hope to finish this movie so that Coby and such a special group of women will be remembered by history. 

2018年起,我展开一系列有关演艺界美籍亚裔女性的研究与拍摄。我共创作了4部短片,并收集了大量与1940年代至今的历史档案。2019年9月,相关短片《相爱的柯比与史蒂芬》完成,在美国、中国大陆与德国等地展映并获得好评。

我的首部记录长片《女人世界》是整个项目的核心。作为长期关注移民与历史题材的大陆导演,我希望通过讲述这段关于美国老年华裔歌舞团的故事,来重申两个社群间的联系,尤其是在当今加速分裂的世界版图之下,成为一座跨越国境、代际与文化边界的桥梁。2020年8月14日,93岁的Coby因病突然离世。在去世的一周前,她依然在跳舞。如同天鹅,她舞到了自己生命的最后一刻。我希望完成这部影片,让Coby与这样一群特别的女性被历史记住。

 

  1. 1933

    髫年

    余金巧和她的兄弟姐妹,在俄亥俄州的哥伦布市

    Coby and her siblings in Columbus, Ohio

  2. 1935

    九龄

    余金巧从小就热爱跳舞

    Coby Yee loved dancing since she was a child

  3. 1942

    年芳二八

    余金巧在俄亥俄与同学们的合影
    Coby with her classmates in Ohio

  4. 1944

    桃李年华

    余金巧的首篇因跳舞收到的报纸采访
    Coby’s first newspaper interview

  5. 1945

    桃李年华

    余金巧最早的跳舞套装由母亲制作

    Coby’s earliest dancing outfits were made by her mother

  6. 1945

    桃李年华

    二战结束后余金巧的全家合影,不久以后,父母和弟弟妹妹就返回了中国…

    A family photo taken after WWII. Not long after, his parents and younger siblings returned to China…

  7. 1946

    襁褓

    出生3个月的方美仙
    Cynthia Fong at 3 months old

  8. 1949

    孩提

    方美仙和她的哥哥姐姐
    Cynthia and her siblings

  9. 1949

    金钗之年

    快12岁的黄应英
    Emily Wong at 11 years old

  10. 1951

    花信年华

    在生下女儿之后,余金巧的第一份工作
    Coby’s first job after birth of her daughter, Shari

  11. 1951

    花信年华

    余家姐妹的孩子们从小就在夜总会里长大
    Yee sisters’ children grew up in nightclubs

  12. 1954

    芳华

    余金巧和女儿余素明
    Coby and her daughter Shari
    ca. 1951-1954

  13. 1954

    九龄

    老圣玛丽大教堂的百年纪念活动,9岁的方美仙作为花车上的小公主
    Cynthia as the 9 year old queen at the Old St.Mary’s centennial celebration

  14. 1954

    九龄

    老圣玛丽大教堂的百年纪念活动,9岁的方美仙作为花车上的小公主
    Cynthia as the 9 year old queen at the Old St.Mary’s centennial celebration

  15. 1955

    髫年

    李美儿的幼儿园合影
    Mimi Chin’s class photo in kindergarten

  16. 1955

    髫年

    Marleen的小学合影
    Marleen Luke’s class photo in primary school

  17. 1955

    幼学

    方美仙读小学时就喜欢上了跳舞
    Cynthia fell in love with dancing when she was in primary school

  18. 1956

    芳华

    50年代,周笑月是唐人街“大观天台”夜总会的舞者
    Pat Chin was a professional dancer at Chinese Skyroom in Chinatown in the 50s

  19. 1957

    芳华

    周笑月与知名歌手Frank Sinatra以及“大观天台”夜总会的老板Andy Wong的合影
    Pat Chin poses with Frank Sinatra and Andy Wong the club owner of “Chinese Skyroom”

  20. 1959

    而立

    余金巧和来到紫禁城夜总会的客人应酬
    Coby Yee socialised with guests who came to the Forbidden City Nightclub

  21. 1960

    桃李年华

    黄应英和黄娉婷姐妹表演粤剧
    Emily and Avis Wong’s Chinese Opera performance

  22. 1960

    而立

    《旧金山纪事报》上的余金巧
    Coby Yee on San Francisco Chronicle

  23. 1960

    桃李年华

    黄应英和知名粤剧演员牡丹苏合影
    Emily Wong poses with the famous Chinese Opera actress Peony Su

  24. 1964

    不惑之年

    《旧金山指南》封面上的余金巧
    Coby Yee on the cover of San Francisco Guide

  25. 1964

    不惑之年

    余金巧在60年代的舞者写真
    Coby’s dancer portraits in the 60s

  26. 1965

    桃李年华

    方美仙在60年代的舞者写真
    Cynthia’s dancer portraits in the 60s

  27. 1965

    桃李年华

    方美仙在60年代的舞者写真
    Cynthia’s dancer portraits in the 60s

  28. 1965

    桃李年华

    方美仙所属的舞蹈团体“东方少女歌舞团”
    Cynthia Yee as part of the Oriental Playgirls Revue

  29. 1965

    桃李年华

    方美仙在夏威夷火奴鲁鲁巡演时的留影
    Cynthia in Honolulu, Hawaii

  30. 1965

    桃李年华

    “东方少女歌舞团”的巡演新闻,登上加拿大新不伦瑞克州的本地报纸
    The Oriental Playgirls Revue featured on a local newspaper of New Brunswick, Canada

  31. 1965

    不惑之年

    余金巧的“龙女”酒吧开业当晚,她和家人在门口合影
    Coby’s family at the opening ceremony of her Dragon Lady Lounge

  32. 1965

    不惑之年

    余金巧的前夫Sun Lowe是一名亚裔夜总会歌手
    Coby’s ex husband Sun Lowe was a nightclub singer

  33. 1966

    桃李年华

    方美仙获得唐人街选美比赛冠军
    Cynthia won the Miss Chinatown beauty pageant 1966

  34. 1967

    桃李年华

    方美仙获得唐人街选美比赛冠军
    Cynthia won the Miss Chinatown beauty pageant

  35. 1972

    花信年华

    方美仙产下女儿Jecina

    Cynthia holding her daughter Jecina

  36. 1973

    知命之年

    余金巧参加女儿余素明的毕业典礼

    Coby attended the graduation ceremony of her daughter Shari

  37. 1973

    知命之年

    在夜总会关张以后,除了设计服装,余金巧也曾开过旅游公司
    After the nightclub closed, besides designing clothes, Coby also had a travel agency.

  38. 1973

    芳华

    恰巧在同一时期方美仙也曾做过旅游公司
    Coincidentally, Cynthia had a travel agency too.

  39. 1982

    年逾六九

    余金巧和姐姐在香港
    Coby and her sister in Hong Kong

  40. 1982

    年逾六九

    余金巧和她的台山亲戚们
    Coby and her relatives in Toisan

  41. 1982

    年逾六九

    余金巧和她的母亲与女儿
    Coby with her mother and daughter

  42. 1990

    不惑之年

    方美仙和她的母亲与女儿
    Cynthia with her mother and daughter

  43. 1992

    天命之年

    赵碧华和姐姐在广东
    Pat Nishimoto and her sister in Toisan

  44. 1992

    天命之年

    赵碧华和她的亲戚们,在祖父种的老树下
    Pat Nishimoto and her relatives, under the old tree planted by her grandfather

  45. 1995

    年逾花甲

    晚年的余金巧依然魅力十足
    In her later years, Coby was still full of charm

  46. 2000

    古稀-从心之年 | 知命之年

    在相恋之初,余金巧和史蒂芬一起参加化妆舞会
    At the beginning of their relationship, Coby and Stephen attended a masquerade

  47. 2000

    古稀-从心之年 | 知命之年

    余金巧和史蒂芬有很多跳舞的合影

    There are many photos of Coby and Stephen dancing together

  48. 2000

    古稀-从心之年 | 知命之年

    史蒂芬喜欢用二人的照片做拼贴
    And Stephen loved to make collages with these photos

  49. 2000

    知命之年

    方美仙登上《活力五十岁》杂志封面
    Cynthia on the cover of Active over 50

  50. 2000

    知命之年

    方美仙在唐人街一直保持活跃,并策划了很多慈善活动
    Cynthia has been active in Chinatown and has planned many charity activities

  51. 2004

    花甲之年

    在2004年,方美仙组建了都板街舞团,多年来,不少老成员去世,但同时也有很多新成员加入
    In 2004, Cynthia formed the Grant Avenue Follies. Over the years, many senior members passed away, but at the same time many new members have joined.

  52. 2018

    耄耋之年 | 古稀-从心之年

    余金巧、方美仙以及都板街舞团部分成员的合影
    A group photo of Coby, Cynthia and some members of the Grant Avenue Follies

  53. 2018

    耄耋之年 | 芳华

    导演杨圆圆和余金巧相遇
    Director Luka Yuanyuan Yang and Coby

  54. 2018

    耄耋之年 | 古稀-从心之年 | 而立之年

    摄影师卡洛在古巴拍摄余金巧和史蒂芬跳舞
    DP Carlo Nasisse filming Coby and Stephen

  55. 2018

    耄耋之年 | 古稀-从心之年 | 知命之年 | 而立之年 | 芳华 ...

    在哈瓦那表演后的全员合影
    Group photo after the performance in Havana

  56. 2018

    耄耋之年 | 古稀-从心之年 | 知命之年 | 而立之年 | 芳华 ...

    从旧金山的紫禁城夜总会,到北京的紫禁城
    From Forbidden City in San Francisco to Forbidden City in Beijing

  57. 2019-2020

    纪录片《女人世界》的拍摄因疫情没能继续

    本片的中文名源于1939年的同名电影《女人世界》(导演:伍锦霞),该片由三十六位女明星合力演出,是首部全由女性出演的华人电影。电影的胶片现已遗失。
    The Chinese name of this film comes from the 1939 film of the same name “It’s A Women’s World” (Director: Esther Eng). This is the first all-female cast Chinese film ever made, about 36 women living in the same apartment building. The original film is presumed lost.

Protagonists 人物介绍