#126: Fan Popo 范坡坡

On the occasion of the exhibition Forming Communities: Berliner Wege – 道法柏林，而游于外 (Dào fǎ bólín, ér yóu yú wài) at KINDL – Centre for Contemporary Art (curated by Thomas Eller 艾墨思 and Li Zhenhua 李振华), Videoart at Midnight is delighted to welcome Fan Popo 范坡坡, showing a bright selection of his filmic work:

New Beijing, New Marriage, 2009, 18 min
“Umm, two husbands, two wives. Perfect match!”
One of the first works of the director, documented a same-sex marriage street campaign in Beijing by taking wedding photos. The interviews with witnesses show a complex attitude of Chinese society on the topic.

The Drum Tower, 2018, 18 min
“Does it hurt?”
An introverted senior school student is fascinated by a transgender vintage shop owner. Can they break through the walls in this lonely and catastrophic city?

Lerne Deutsch in meiner Küche, 2020, 2 min
”Nein, ich habe nie eine Fledermaus gegessen.”
A DIY video combining cooking and language learning, and includes the director’s racist encounter due to COVID-19.

Hotpot 3-Way, 2022, 22 min
“Why can’t you try something new?”
A straight couple goes for a hotpot dinner where the boyfriend tries spicy food for the first time which leads to some extra hot sexual experience. *Explicit contents included.

Fan Popo 范坡坡 was born in China, his queer documentaries have made a notable impact in Chinese society. Later he concentrated on writing and directing scripted films with elements of comedy and sex. He is based in Berlin from 2017, has made a few shorts here, and is now developing his feature debut script. He aims to use humor as a way of empowering, and he believes that the future is porn! In this 60-minute slot, you’ll see Popo Fan’s works from his earlier activism documentaries to later queer intersectional experiments. Together they showcase an artist’s diverse creativities and complex perspective.

a cooperation with

KINDL – Centre for Contemporary Art
Am Sudhaus 3, 12053 Berlin

Special thanks to ERIKA LUST, BASIS BERLIN