Friendship first competition second

The other film that will be shown is "Friendship first competition second" —the slogan which embodies the Chinese attitude towards sport and recreation. Most foreigners think of the Chinese as a very hard working people, says Greene. But they are not a solemn people, and this film shows that a wide variety of sports are played and enjoyed right throughout the country.

This film also deals with the performing arts, including revolutionary opera and ballet and traditional acrobatic skills. One important aspect of cultural developments in People's China is that they combine the artistic traditions of the past with the socialist policies of the present.

The Chinese place a big emphasis on understanding the history of their country. As was emphasised time and again to us last year, the Chinese have preserved ancient buildings and artifacts to show the accomplishments of the working people despite the oppression of emperors, feudalists, and foreign imperialists.

Most of the revolutionary operas and ballets, which are tremendously popular, also concentrate on the past — especially on the Chinese people's struggle against the landlords, the foreign imperialists and the Japanese invaders. The themes of these operas and ballets are designed not only to remind people of the past, but also to show how the Chinese revolution was organised and developed by the Communist Party through patient and selfless work among the people.

Felix Greene's films are some of the best documentaries currently available on life in the People's Republic of China, so don't miss seeing them. "Self Reliance" and "Friendship first competition second" will be shown in the Memorial Theatre at 12 noon on Wednesday May 1. There will be an entrance fee of 30c to help cover the cost of the purchase of the films.