‘Shanghai is Burning’: Extravaganza, transgender representation and transnational cinema

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Bao, Hongwei (2018) ‘Shanghai is Burning’: Extravaganza, transgender representation and transnational cinema. Global Media and China, 3 (4). pp. 233-255. ISSN 2059-4372

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Abstract

This article offers a critical analysis of Matthew Baren’s 2018 film Extravaganza, a documentary about drag scenes in Shanghai. By focusing on some drag characters represented in this film, in tandem with an examination of the social and industry contexts of the film, as well as my interviews with the filmmaker and performers, I problematise the gender identity of the performers and the national identity of the film. Drawing on Deleuze and Guattari’s notion of ‘becoming’ and Song Hwee Lim’s discussion of ‘trans’, I propose to think about certain modes of transnational production with the critical concept of ‘becoming trans’. ‘Becoming trans’ offers a productive way to conceptualise new modes of ‘minor’ transnational cinematic connections in a globalised world without having to resort to identity politics.

Item Type: Article
Keywords: extravaganza, queer, film, transgender, transnational cinema
Schools/Departments: University of Nottingham, UK > Faculty of Arts > School of Cultures, Languages and Area Studies > Department of Culture, Film and Media
Identification Number: 10.1177/2059436418818274
Depositing User: Bao, Hongwei
Date Deposited: 06 Dec 2018 09:27
Last Modified: 20 Dec 2018 08:48
URI: https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/55701

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