San Diego Asian Film Festival 2009

MY BEIJING BIRTHDAY is a heart-felt and humorous look at the rapidly changing lives of a group of children in Beijing through the eyes of an American, Howie Snyder. In 1996, Synder, a former New Yorker and skillful Mandarin-speaker, enrolled into a children’s school that teaches traditional Chinese stand-up comedy.

At 40, Snyder was the oldest (and only non-Chinese) student in the class of mostly 6-8 year olds. Synder documented his experience of breaking through the language and cultural barriers, showing him as just “one of the kids,” under the direction of the tough but passionate teacher, Mrs. Ma.

Twelve years later, in the Spring of 2008, Synder revisited his old classmates and teacher to see how they and China had changed over the last 12 years. The children, now young adults, had undergone the fastest economic and social transformation that the world has ever seen. MY BEIJING BIRTHDAY offers a light-hearted and realistic view of China in 1996 and 2008, and provides insight into the changes in China and what she will look like in the future.

Director Howie Snyder scheduled to attend Oct 21 and 23 screenings.

Oct 23 Free screening made possible by Target.

Co-presented by:
Barnard Elementary School - Chinese Magnet School