TORONTO, May 13, 1998 -- A selection of outstanding recent Canadian films will be showcased in a special retrospective running May 19 to June 2 at the China Film Archive in Beijing. Canadian Industry Minister John Manley will be guest of honour at the opening.

The Canadian film retrospective has been organized by Wang Rui, Senior Research Fellow at the China Film Archive and China Film Art Research Centre, in collaboration with Canadian film scholar Seth Feldman, Dean of Fine Arts at Toronto's York University. Wang Rui chose the films for the series during a six-week residency in York's Department of Film & Video last year.

While Chinese films have taken Canada by storm in recent years, Canadian films and filmmakers remain largely unknown in China. The current series will help redress that balance.

"This retrospective will give Chinese audiences a rare opportunity to see Canadian films," says Feldman. "At the same time, it gives us the chance to share our stories, and how we see ourselves as Canadians."

Eight feature films will receive their Chinese premieres in these screenings. Ranging from popular hits to lesser known gems, they span the country from B.C. to Cape Breton, reflecting the many different voices, histories and sensibilities that define our country and our national cinema.

Titles include: