Book Club: The Color Purple
Book Club
Sun
13
Sun 13 Apr 1:00 PM
Arc Cinema
Allocated Seating
154 Mins | Book Club at the NFSA
April
1985 | DCP | US | D: Steven Spielberg
BOOK CLUB AT THE NFSA IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CANBERRA WRITERS FESTIVAL
When Celie Harris (Whoopi Goldberg) is forced into marriage with abusive Albert (Danny Glover) in rural Georgia, she finds strength in other women, including Sofia (Oprah Winfrey) and Shug Avery (Margaret Avery).
Steven Spielberg’s 1985 take on Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize–winning novel, centring the resistance and strength of Black women, was nominated for 11 Oscars.
“Celie is a great powerful movie character, played with astonishing grace and tenderness, and to feel her story is to be blessed with her humanity.” – Roger Ebert
The screening will be followed by a discussion of the film and the novel with special guest Santilla Chingaipe, in conversation with Canberra Writers Festival Artistic Associate Qin Qin.
ABOUT SANTILLA CHINGAIPE
Santilla Chingaipe is a filmmaker, historian and author, whose work explores settler colonialism, slavery, and postcolonial migration in Australia. Chingaipe’s first book of non-fiction, Black Convicts, builds on the critically acclaimed and award-winning documentary, Our African Roots, streaming on SBS On Demand.
In 2019, Chingaipe was recognised at the United Nations as one of the most influential people of African descent. She is a regular contributor to The Saturday Paper and served as a member of the Federal Government’s Advisory Group on Australia-Africa Relations. She is the founder of Behind The Screens, an annual program seeking to increase the representation of people historically excluded from the Australian screen industry, supported by VicScreen. She is based in Melbourne.
ABOUT QIN QIN
Qin Qin is an award-winning author and speaker who explores themes of identity, culture, and the beauty of a non-linear path. She believes in the power of stories and words to heal and connect—an idea that shapes her work as both a writer and librarian.
Born in Southwest China and raised in Canberra, Qin Qin grew up under pressure to be the ‘good’ migrant daughter. By 29, she was an unfulfilled overachiever, holding four degrees and working for the United Nations. But after one crisis too many, she chose to question the script. Her debut memoir, Model Minority Gone Rogue (Hachette), reveals the messy yet liberating journey of choosing love over fear.
Named one of the 40 Under 40: Most Influential Asian Australians, Qin Qin continues to embrace storytelling as a force for healing and connection.
BOOK CLUB AT THE NFSA IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CANBERRA WRITERS FESTIVAL
When Celie Harris (Whoopi Goldberg) is forced into marriage with abusive Albert (Danny Glover) in rural Georgia, she finds strength in other women, including Sofia (Oprah Winfrey) and Shug Avery (Margaret Avery).
Steven Spielberg’s 1985 take on Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize–winning novel, centring the resistance and strength of Black women, was nominated for 11 Oscars.
“Celie is a great powerful movie character, played with astonishing grace and tenderness, and to feel her story is to be blessed with her humanity.” – Roger Ebert
The screening will be followed by a discussion of the film and the novel with special guest Santilla Chingaipe, in conversation with Canberra Writers Festival Artistic Associate Qin Qin.
ABOUT SANTILLA CHINGAIPE
Santilla Chingaipe is a filmmaker, historian and author, whose work explores settler colonialism, slavery, and postcolonial migration in Australia. Chingaipe’s first book of non-fiction, Black Convicts, builds on the critically acclaimed and award-winning documentary, Our African Roots, streaming on SBS On Demand.
In 2019, Chingaipe was recognised at the United Nations as one of the most influential people of African descent. She is a regular contributor to The Saturday Paper and served as a member of the Federal Government’s Advisory Group on Australia-Africa Relations. She is the founder of Behind The Screens, an annual program seeking to increase the representation of people historically excluded from the Australian screen industry, supported by VicScreen. She is based in Melbourne.
ABOUT QIN QIN
Qin Qin is an award-winning author and speaker who explores themes of identity, culture, and the beauty of a non-linear path. She believes in the power of stories and words to heal and connect—an idea that shapes her work as both a writer and librarian.
Born in Southwest China and raised in Canberra, Qin Qin grew up under pressure to be the ‘good’ migrant daughter. By 29, she was an unfulfilled overachiever, holding four degrees and working for the United Nations. But after one crisis too many, she chose to question the script. Her debut memoir, Model Minority Gone Rogue (Hachette), reveals the messy yet liberating journey of choosing love over fear.
Named one of the 40 Under 40: Most Influential Asian Australians, Qin Qin continues to embrace storytelling as a force for healing and connection.
April