Imitation of Life (1959)
Dir: Douglas Sirk
USA, 1959, 125minmins, DCP
Cast: Lana Turner, John Gavin, Sandra Dee
Sirk’s final film takes on renewed relevance in our time of Black Lives Matter, showing how the fair-skinned daughter of an African-American maid comes to hide her ethnicity and hate her blackness in response to societal discrimination. Sirk tells the story of two single mothers in parallel, as the maid’s employer – a white woman – seeks success on stage to fulfill her career ambitions as an actress. Appearances and the desire for social recognition threaten to usurp the place of love, with a plethora of mirrors and reflected imagery throughout: a key visual motif characteristic of Sirk’s mise-en-scene that is integral to his critique of ’50s America.
Berlin International Film Festival: In Competition
Golden Globe Awards: Best Supporting Actress
27/6 (Sun): Film talk with Derek Lam
Hong Kong Arts Centre Louis Koo Cinema (Venue)
K11 Art House
Chinese Subtitles
Post-screening talk
Remarks
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