The “China Girl,” sometimes called a “China Doll” or “girl head” is a type of reference image used in commercial film laboratories since the late 1920s and continuing in limited used today. The China Girl has appeared in more films than any actress, though, outside of the film laboratory, she is rarely seen. Behind the scenes, however, she is essential to setting the appearance of a film, determining exposure, image density, and color balance. While the China Girl is a crucial part of the film production process, her essential role in film history has been most often overlooked.

Programme:

Introductions and Q&A featuring filmmaker Ben Russell in person.

- Let us persevere in what we have resolved before we forget (2013, 20 min., Super-16mm on video)
“We are happy. (Silence.) What do we do now, now that we are happy?” – Samuel Beckett, “Waiting for Godot”
“John Frum prophesied the occurrence of a cataclysm in which Tanna would become flat, the volcanic mountains would fall and fill the river-beds to form fertile plains, and Tanna would be joined to the neighbouring islands of Eromanga and Aneityum to form a new island. Then John Frum would reveal himself, bringing in a reign of bliss, the natives would get back their youth and there would be no sickness; there would be no need to care for gardens, trees or pigs. The Whites would go; John Frum would set up schools to replace mission schools, and would pay chiefs and teachers.” – Peter Worsley, “The Trumpet Shall Sound: a study of cargo cults in Melanesia”