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Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Science

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ArticleOpen Access http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/jhass.2024.01.031

Deconstructing Shared Anthropology and How It Inspired the Auto-Ethno-Fiction Film Alien

Yuqin Xie

The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.

*Corresponding author: Yuqin Xie

Published: February 27, 2024

Abstract

This essay delves into the realm of cross-cultural communication and exchange, focusing on the impact of multiculturalism in the context of the globalised world. It draws from the ethnofiction film Alien, which blends docufiction, ethnofiction, and documentary elements to explore the challenges faced by Chinese students in Manchester. The protagonist, Andrea, embodies both informant and participant, relaying firsthand experiences through improvised re-enactments. The film addresses cultural differences, language barriers, and the coexistence of LGBTQ+ individuals in diverse social contexts. The cinematic techniques of 'direct cinema' and 'cinema verité' distinguish between the fictional and documentary aspects of the film, drawing inspiration from Dziga Vertov's 'Cine-Eye' concept and Jean Rouch's ethnofiction genre. By adopting these aesthetics, the project aims to break down the power dynamics between anthropologists and informants, as well as dismantle the hierarchical relationship between Western civilization and Eastern culture, historically established through observation and colonial systems. This paper not only introduces the origins of ethnofiction but also delves into an analysis of Jean Rouch's production and aesthetic concepts. It highlights how these concepts inspired the creation of an auto-ethnofictional piece, enabling the decentering of the anthropologist and Western civilization. Through the medium of film, the project seeks to foster a more nuanced understanding of cultural communication and exchange, fostering a future where multiculturalism remains the dominant dynamic in cross-cultural discourses.

Keyword

Auto-ethnofiction, docufiction, LGBTQ+ individuals, handheld interviews, direct cinema, Jean Rouch, visual anthropology, shared anthropology

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Copyright

© 2024 by the author(s).
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) license, which permits non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not modified or adapted.
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How to cite this paper

Deconstructing Shared Anthropology and How It Inspired the Auto-Ethno-Fiction Film Alien

How to cite this paper: Yuqin Xie. (2024) Deconstructing Shared Anthropology and How It Inspired the Auto-Ethno-Fiction Film AlienJournal of Humanities, Arts and Social Science8(1), 188-194.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/jhass.2024.01.031