DG - Ai Weiwei - The Fake Case...
Transcript of DG - Ai Weiwei - The Fake Case...
Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case
A Film by Andreas Johnsen
Community Engagement & Education
DISCUSSION GUIDE
www.pbs.org/pov
POV
|2DISCUSSION GUIDE
Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case
LETTER FROM THE FILMMAKER
Ai Weiwei is a man who does not give up
even when his life is in danger. He seems to
have an uncontrollable urge to resist and a
backbone that gets stronger each time
somebody tries to break it. He believes so
deeply in openness, transparency and in
the importance of expressing yourself that
it is the equivalent of the need to breathe.
You do not truly live if you do not—or can-
not—express yourself.
I’ve had close to unlimited access to film
his life, and I believe this is an expression
of his acceptance of my method and pa-
tience and persistence, as well as his will to
show the world that he has nothing what-
soever to hide.
From my very first trip to China back in
2010, I only imposed one rule on myself: to
be with Ai Weiwei as much as possible and
to film only when he was present, to see
what he sees and hear what he hears.
I've had no intention of giving a broad,
many-voiced view of China or letting a lot of people express their opinions of Ai Weiwei. I’ll let the audience judge for itself
by seeing the China that Ai Weiwei sees, the China that he experiences: as a privileged artist, but also as a constantly mon-
itored, restricted and oppressed human being. My ambition was to be as “pure” as I could in my point of view, sharing the
eyes of Ai Weiwei in the way I looked at China.
The film started out as a portrait of an artist, but has evolved to tell a universal story about a man and his struggle, a man on
the horns of a tragic dilemma. It has become an epic tale in which Ai Weiwei is a metaphor expressing human existence in a
closed, opaque, mind-controlling society.
Andreas Johnsen
Director/Cinematographer, Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case
Filmmaker Andreas Johnsen.
Photo courtesy of Andreas Johnsen
|3DISCUSSION GUIDE
Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case
2 Letter from the Filmmaker
3 Introduction
4 Potential Partners
4 Key Issues
4 Using This Guide
5 Background Information
5 About Ai Weiwei
5 Chinese Government and Censorship
6 Ai Weiwei’s Art and Activism
7 The Fake Case
8 Selected People Featured
in Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case
9 General Discussion Questions
9 Discussion Prompts
11 Taking Action
12 Resources
13 How to Buy the Film
Writer
Faith Rogow, PhDInsighters Educational Consulting
Background Research and Reporting
Margaret Brown
Guide Producers and Background Research, POV
Eliza LichtVice President, Content Strategy and Engagement , POV
Aubrey GallegosManager, Community Engagement and Education, POV
Alice QuinlanAssistant, Community Engagement and Education, POV
Design:
Rafael Jiménez
Copy Editor:
Natalie Danford
Thanks to those who reviewed this guide:
Andreas JohnsenDirector/Cinematographer, Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case
TABLE OF CONTENTS CREDITS
Ai Weiwei has a serious problem with authority—government
authority to be precise. China’s government not only kid-
napped and imprisoned the world-renowned artist, but after
his release it conducted a show trial on baseless charges of
tax evasion and pornography—all in an effort to stop his
protests against his country’s repressive policies. Ai Weiwei:
The Fake Case (56:46 min.), a stirring documentary by An-
dreas Johnsen, dissects the persecution and shows how the
government’s attempts to silence Ai Weiwei have turned him
into China’s most powerful artist and an irrepressible voice for
free speech and human rights around the globe.
INTRODUCTION
Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case is well suited for use in a vari-
ety of settings and is especially recommended for use
with:
• Your local PBS station
• Groups that have discussed previous PBS and POV
films relating to China, repression and free
speech, including High Tech, Low Life;
Up the Yangtze; Better This World; and
Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry
• Groups focused on any of the issues listed in the
Key Issues section
• High school students, youth groups and clubs
• Faith-based organizations and institutions
• Cultural, art and historical organizations,
institutions and museums
• Civic, fraternal and community groups
• Academic departments and student groups at
colleges, universities and high schools
• Community organizations with a mission to
promote education and learning, such as local
libraries.
Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case is an excellent tool for out-
reach and will be of special interest to people looking to
explore the following topics:
• activism
• art and politics
• authoritarianism
• China
• communism
• dissidents and dissent
• free press
• free speech
• government corruption
• human rights
• journalism and democracy
• rule of law
|4DISCUSSION GUIDE
Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case
USING THIS GUIDE
This guide is an invitation to dialogue. It is based on a belief in the power of human connection, designed for people who
want to use Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case to engage family, friends, classmates, colleagues and communities. In contrast to
initiatives that foster debates in which participants try to convince others that they are right, this document envisions con-
versations undertaken in a spirit of openness in which people try to understand one another and expand their thinking
by sharing viewpoints and listening actively.
The discussion prompts are intentionally crafted to help a wide range of audiences think more deeply about the issues
in the film. Rather than attempting to address them all, choose one or two that best meet your needs and interests. And
be sure to leave time to consider taking action. Planning next steps can help people leave the room feeling energized and
optimistic, even in instances when conversations have been difficult.
For more detailed event planning and facilitation tips, visit www.pov.org/engage
POTENTIAL PARTNERS KEY ISSUES
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
|5DISCUSSION GUIDE
Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case
About Ai Weiwei
Ai Weiwei is a Chinese activist and artist, born in 1957. His
father, Ai Qing, was a well-known Chinese poet. In 1958, Ai
Qing was arrested as part of the Chinese Anti-Rightist Cam-
paign. He was sent to a labor camp, and he continued to live
in exile with his wife and son, Ai Weiwei (who was one year
old when they were sent into exile), for 16 years. They re-
turned to Beijing in 1976, and a few years later, Ai Weiwei
moved to New York City.
In New York, Ai Weiwei studied for a short period of time at
the Parsons School of Design. He remained politically active
and critical of the Chinese government from afar, and in 1989
he went on a hunger strike following the Tiananmen Square
massacre. He didn’t return to China until 1993, when his fa-
ther became ill. As Ai Weiwei’s father was dying, he told his
son, “This is your country. Don’t be polite.”
Following his father’s death, Ai Weiwei remained in China,
and he has since become one of the most well-known Chi-
nese contemporary artists living today, renowned for his
works in sculpture and architecture. His most famous work
includes the Beijing National Stadium, known as the “Bird’s
Nest” (on which he served as artistic consultant), and Sun-
flower Seeds, a sculptural piece made up of thousands of
handcrafted sunflower seeds created by Chinese craftsmen.
The piece is meant to provoke discussion on economic ex-
change and objects that are made in China. In 2010 ArtRe-
view named Ai Weiwei the most powerful artist in the world.
Today, Ai Weiwei lives in Beijing.
Sources:
Art21. “Ai Weiwei.” http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/ai-weiwei
Ramzy, Austin. “The Activist Artist of China.” TIME, April 25, 2011.
http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2065248,00.html
Stevens, Mark. “Is Ai Weiwei China’s Most Dangerous Man?”
Smithsonian, September 2012. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-
culture/is-ai-weiwei-chinas-most-dangerous-man-17989316/?no-ist
Chinese Government and Censorship
In the film, Ai Weiwei’s mother expresses concern over her
son’s outspoken criticism of the Chinese government. She
has experienced government repression first-hand, and she
believes her son might be in the same danger her husband
faced during the 1950s.
In 1957, inspired by reforms being made within the So-
viet Union, Chinese leader Mao Zedong made a
speech encouraging Chinese intellectuals to come forward
with their opinions and criticisms of government policy and
potential reforms. Evoking a classical Chinese poem, Mao
proclaimed, “Let a hundred flowers bloom, let a hundred
schools of thought contend.” The movement that speech en-
gendered came to be known as the Hundred Flowers Cam-
paign. Although intellectuals were at first reluctant to speak
out, eventually thousands of writers, scientists and academ-
ics began to express themselves on issues of corruption, low
standards of living and intellectual freedom.
By July 1957, only months after his speech, Mao felt that the
constructive criticism he had requested was threatening the
stability of the Communist Party. He then launched the Anti-
Rightist Campaign of 1957 in an attempt to shut down the
movement. During this time, many of those who had re-
sponded to the government’s call for criticism were rounded
up and executed, or sent to labor camps. Ai Weiwei’s father,
Ai Qing, was one such detractor. He was arrested in 1958 and
sent to a labor camp, along with his wife and son.
Although China has seen a number of changes since the
1950s, it is still an authoritarian state that, according to
Human Rights Watch, “systematically curbs fundamental
rights, including freedom of expression, association, assem-
bly and religion, when their exercise is perceived to threaten
one-party rule.” In the government’s attempt to monitor In-
ternet use, it has developed a sophisticated system of cen-
sorship online, commonly called the “Great Firewall.” The
Great Firewall has screened and blocked online content ac-
cessed within the country since 1998. Blocked and censored
content ranges from international websites and sites with
political content to services like Google and Facebook. While
the Chinese government encourages the use of digital tech-
nology for economic advancement, it has simultaneously be-
come one of the most restrictive national governments in
the world when it comes to policing online political commu-
nication. Persecution of bloggers and Internet journalists
who participate in online activism is not uncommon. Justifi-
cation for imprisonment is often limited to vague and un-
substantiated claims that state secrets have been leaked.
Sources:
Armstrong, Paul. “Big Brother Still Watching: Internet Censorship On
the Up, Report Says.” CNN, September 28, 2012.
http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/27/world/world-internet-freedom-
report/
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
|6DISCUSSION GUIDE
Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case
Dou, Eva. “China’s Great Firewall Gets Taller.” The Wall Street Journal,
January 30, 2015. http://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-great-firewall-
gets-taller-1422607143
Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Hundred Flowers Campaign.”
http://www.britannica.com/event/Hundred-Flowers-Campaign
Freedom House. “China.”
http://www.freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-net/2012/china
King, Gilbert. “The Silence That Preceded China’s Great Leap Into
Famine.” Smithsonian, September 26, 2012. http://www.smithso-
nianmag.com/history/the-silence-that-preceded-chinas-great-leap-into
-famine-51898077/?no-ist
Human Rights Watch. “World Report 2015: China.”
https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2015/country-chapters/china-and-
tibet
Xu, Beina. “Media Censorship in China.” Council on Foreign Relations,
April 7, 2015. http://www.cfr.org/china/media-censorship-china/p11515
Xuecun, Murong. “Scaling China’s Great Firewall.” The New York Times,
August 17, 2015.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/18/opinion/murong-xuecun-scaling-
chinas-great-firewall.html
Ai Weiwei’s Art and Activism
Ai Weiwei’s art is often political—one of his most recogniza-
ble works is a series of photographs of himself flipping off fa-
mous monuments, including the White House in
Washington, D.C., and Tiananmen Square in Beijing. Ai Wei-
wei was hired by Swiss architect firm Herzog and de Meuron
to consult on its stadium for the 2008 Olympics, held in Bei-
jing, and he conceived of the now famous Bird’s Nest sta-
dium. However, Ai Weiwei later publicly denounced the
Beijing Olympics. He said he hated that the stadium he
helped design was being used to gloss over China’s human
rights abuses. He deemed the event a “pretend smile” and
called for an international boycott.
One of Ai Weiwei’s most famous political pieces is Accord-
ing to What?, an art installation created in response to the
Sichuan earthquake in 2008. On May 12, 2008, a magnitude
7.9 earthquake ripped apart the Chinese province of
Sichuan. The earthquake killed approximately 87,150 people,
and about 375,000 were injured by falling debris. An esti-
mated 4.8 million people were left homeless. A dispropor-
tionate number of the buildings destroyed by the
earthquake were schools—a topic of much controversy in
the weeks and months that followed. It’s estimated that
more than 7,000 schoolrooms crumbled, killing ap-
proximately 10,000 students. In some areas, schools
were the only buildings that collapsed. This ignited wide-
spread allegations of corruption against education ministry
officials and contractors, who were suspected of building
schools that failed to meet government standards in order to
siphon off money and pocket the profit. According to What?
features multiple works related to the Sichuan earthquake
and documents the names of the dead children. Ai Weiwei
also published all of the names of the dead children on his
blog. He began blogging in 2006, devoting his website to
scathing social commentary, and criticism of the Chinese
government, in addition to his thoughts on art and architec-
ture. When Ai Weiwei began to publish details about the
Sichuan earthquake on his blog in 2009, the government
shut down the site. A few months later, he was attacked by
police so brutally that he had to undergo emergency brain
surgery.
Sources:
Ai Weiwei. “Ai Weiwei’s Blog.” The MIT Press, March 2011.
https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/ai-weiweis-blog
Aloi, Daniel. “Ai Weiwei Literally Smashes China’s Traditions in Art and
Architecture.” Cornell Chronicle, November 15, 2006.
http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2006/11/ai-weiwei-smashes-
chinas-traditions-art-and-architecture
“Artist Behind Beijing’s ‘Bird’s Nest’ Stadium Boycotts Olympics.” CBC
Arts, August 11, 2007. http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/artist-behind-
beijing-s-bird-s-nest-stadium-boycotts-olympics-1.646601
Block, Melissa. “In ‘According to What?’ Ai Weiwei Makes Mourning
Subversive.” NPR, January 23, 2013.
http://www.npr.org/2013/01/23/169973843/in-according-to-what-ai-
weiwei-makes-mourning-subversive
Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Sichuan Earthquake of 2008.”
http://www.britannica.com/event/Sichuan-earthquake-of-2008
Osnos, Evan. “It’s Not Beautiful.” The New Yorker, May 24, 2010.
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/05/24/its-not-beautiful
Ramzy, Austin. “The Activist Artist of China.” TIME, April 25, 2011.
http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2065248,00.html
“Sichuan 2008: A Disaster on an Immense Scale.” BBC News, May 9,
2013. http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-22398684
“Sichuan Earthquake.” The New York Times, May 6, 2009.
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/science/topics/earthquakes/sichu
an_province_china/index.html
Wong, Edward. “China Admits Building Flaws in Quake.” The New York
Times, September 4, 2008.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/05/world/asia/05china.html
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
|7DISCUSSION GUIDE
Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case
The Fake Case
On April 3, 2011, Ai Weiwei was arrested at the Beijing air-
port as he prepared to board a flight to Hong Kong. His ar-
rest appeared to have been part of a crackdown that saw
many other artists, writers and bloggers taken into custody.
Despite international outcry, no word was issued about Ai
Weiwei'swhereabouts for several days, and he was held in
jail with no contact with the outside world for 81 days. The
official charges announced for his arrest were economic
crimes, in the form of tax evasion, as well as pornography. At
the time of Ai’s arrest, the Chinese government was in-
creasing arrests of lawyers and political activists, out of fear
that the ongoing Arab Spring might trigger similar uprisings
in China.
While Ai Weiwei was still in captivity, his Sunflower Seeds
was on display at the Tate Modern in London. The museum
staged a protest of Ai Weiwei's arrest and the Chinese gov-
ernment’s detention of 49 other Chinese artists and writers.
The museum displayed pictures of sunflower seeds bearing
the names of the detainees, including Ai Weiwei’s, on the
grass outside the museum. The words RELEASE AI WEIWEI
were displayed prominently on the side of the Tate building
for a short period of time. In addition to the protest staged
at the Tate, prominent international figures, such as New
York City’s then mayor, Michael Bloomberg and British artist
Anish Kapoor, demanded Ai Weiwei’s release. The interna-
tional outcry over Ai’s arrest likely played a significant role in
his release.
Ai Weiwei was released on bail in June 2011, but was not al-
lowed to travel outside of China and was forbidden to dis-
cuss his case. Following his release, authorities demanded
that Ai Weiwei pay 12 million yuan (1.85 million U.S. dollars)
in “back taxes” and fines for his alleged economic crimes, in-
cluding tax evasion. Ai maintained that the allegations
against him and his company, Fake Cultural Development
Ltd, were false, and an attempt on the part of the Chinese
government to silence him.
A few months after his release, Ai Weiwei's case went to trial,
and in November 2011 he was charged with tax evasion. He
chose to appeal the decision—an action he was able to fi-
nance using the donations he received from his supporters
all over the world. That first appeal was rejected in July 2012.
A second and final appeal was lost in September 2012. Ai
was unable to file another appeal, and he stated that the de-
cision to charge him with tax evasion came from a “bar-
baric and backward legal system.” In his appeals, Ai
Weiwei and his lawyers accused the tax bureau of
violating laws regarding the handling of witnesses
and the gathering of evidence.
An article in The Guardian quoted Nicholas Bequelin, senior
Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch, saying, “The tax
case against Ai Weiwei was politically motivated from the
outset—an 11th hour pretext pulled out of a hat by the gov-
ernment to justify Ai’s unlawful arrest and secret detention
for 81 days.”
Ai Weiwei’s passport was confiscated following his arrest,
and it was not returned to him until July 22, 2015, almost four
years later.
Sources:
“Ai Weiwei Loses Appeal Against $2.4m Tax Fine.” The Guardian,
September 27, 2012.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/sep/27/ai-weiwei-loses-
appeal-tax-fine
Branigan, Tania. “Ai Weiwei Firm to Be Closed Down by Chinese
Authorities.” The Guardian, October 1, 2012.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/01/ai-weiwei-firm-
closed-china
“China artist Ai Weiwei’s Tax Evasion Appeal Rejected.” BBC News,
July 20, 2012. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-18925320
“China Demands Ai Weiwei Pay $1.85 Million in Taxes, Fines.” Reuters,
June 28, 2011. http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/28/us-china-
artist-idUSTRE75L3U520110628
“Chinese Authorities Agree to review Ai Weiwei Tax Case.” BBC News,
January 6, 2012. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-16437314
Thorpe, Vanessa and Tania Branigan. “Tate Modern Protest Calls for
Release of Missing Chinese Dissident Artist Ai Weiwei.” The Guardian,
April 9, 2011. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/apr/10/tate-
modern-protest-remembers-chinas-missing-dissidents
Wong, Edward. “Dissident Chinese Artist is Released.” The New York
Times, June 22, 2011.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/23/world/asia/23artist.html?_r=0
SELECT PEOPLE
|8DISCUSSION GUIDE
Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case
Ai Weiwei - Chinese artist and activist. Wang Fen - Ai Weiwei’s girlfriend and the
mother of his only child, son Ai Lao
(born 2009). Wang Fen is a film director
and editor.
Gao Ying - (b. 1933) Ai Weiwei’s mother
and the widow of poet Ai Qing,
Ai Weiwei’s father.
Larry Warsh - An art collector based in
New York, Warsh is the founder of AW
Asia, a private organization in New York
City that promotes Chinese contemporary
art.
Angus Walker - Former China
correspondent for Britain’s ITV.
Silke Ballweg - A German journalist from
Südwestdeutscher Rundfunk.
Pu Zhiqiang - The only lawyer remaining
on Ai Weiwei’s case, and probably
China´s most prominent human
rights lawyer.
Selected People Featured in Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case
DISCUSSION PROMPTS
|9DISCUSSION GUIDE
Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case
Art and Politics
The filmmaker chose to open this film with a Pablo Picasso
quote: “Painting is not done to decorate apartments. It is an
instrument of war.” Why do you think that is?
According to Ai Weiwei, the Chinese government thinks that
“nudity is pornography,” so it objects to art that includes nu-
dity. How would you distinguish between art or political ex-
pression and pornography? Would you be comfortable with
public displays of all the art shown in the film? Why or why
not?
Ai Weiwei acknowledges that the people who posed nude
for him were doing something dangerous. Why do you sup-
pose they were willing to take the risk? How might nudity
relate to political activism on issues of liberty and trans-
parency?
A journalist attempting to interview Ai Weiwei despite his
probation restrictions suggests that the artist simply stand
near his artwork while the reporter does a voiceover. Ai sug-
gests that he be filmed taking a shower instead. Why do you
think the artist suggests a shower? What does it say about
democracy’s embrace of free expression that the journalist
is stymied by “decency” requirements?
What was your reaction to the recreation of Ai Weiwei’s cell
and experience in detention?
Repressing Free Speech
The film indicates that China’s arrest, imprisonment and on-
going harassment of Ai Weiwei is intended (in his words) to
send “a clear message to other artists and to critics of the
government in China—the government can arrest anyone at
any time.” What message(s) do you think the world actually
received?
According to the film, the more famous Ai Weiwei became,
the more the Chinese government wanted to silence him,
“But that [high] profile also meant there were loud calls for
his release.” What role does the ability to generate public at-
tention play in the success or failure of activism? Why does
visibility matter to a government like China’s?
One of Ai Weiwei’s nude models reports that his residence
has been rendered invisible online: “When I came here last
year, I used Google Maps to find your place. But this year
your place cannot be found on the Net...neither Baidu nor
Google can locate number 258.” What does the government
gain by attempting to erase Ai Weiwei’s online presence?
What does it lose?
Ai Weiwei describes the case that the government brought
against him: “It's a fake case about a Fake company. But the
Fake company is a real company. The Fake case is a real
case, but it’s fake. It’s fabricated.” What statement do you
think Ai Weiwei was making by naming his company “Fake”?
Why are repressive governments especially vulnerable to
“doublespeak”?
Ai Weiwei says he accepts having his phone tapped be-
cause, “I have no secrets, you [the authorities] have secrets.”
Immediately after the film, you may want to give people a
few quiet moments to reflect on what they have seen or
pose a general question (examples below) and give people
some time to themselves to jot down or think about their
answers before opening the discussion:
• If a friend asked you what this film was about, what
would you say?
• If you were one of the journalists interviewing Ai
Weiwei, and he was free to answer, what would you
ask?
• What’s one thing you learned from this film that you
wish everyone knew? What would change if
everyone knew it?
• Describe a moment or scene in the film that you
found particularly disturbing or moving. What was it
about that scene that was especially compelling for
you?
GENERAL DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
DISCUSSION PROMPTS
|10DISCUSSION GUIDE
Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case
He also explains the webcam in his home, saying, “I just help
you guys to monitor me 24 hours a day—that’s what you
want, right?” In your view, is this openness an expression of
narcissism and exhibitionism, or is it a political statement? If
it is the latter, what is the message? Why doesn’t the gov-
ernment approve?
Speaking Out
What insights did the film offer about the role of a free press
in a democracy?
The government and Ai Weiwei have very different narra-
tives about what the artist has done and why he has been
prosecuted, detained and released. What role do media and
online technologies play in determining which version the
public comes to accept?
The Chinese government said it was holding Ai Weiwei for
“subversion of the state power.” What, exactly, is subversive
about what the artist says and does? Under what circum-
stances has free speech been deemed subversive, including
in the U.S.?
Ai Weiwei says, “If you let me have the radio or free press for
one month, I will make the whole thing change. Just one
month. It’s enough.” Do you agree? Do you think activists in
the United States or other democratic countries would
agree? What do activists like Ai see as the link between free
speech and democracy?
Ai Weiwei lives next to the U.S. embassy and observes long
lines of people waiting for visas, noting, “All these people,
waiting in line are trying to get to the United States. Each
day they have 3,000 people...I guess people just want to es-
cape.” What do you think the people in line know about the
U.S. that citizens of the U.S. might take for granted?
A journalist asks Ai Weiwei if his difficult year made him
weaker. He responds, “I have a difficult life. It doesn’t make
me weaker or stronger—I just have to face it...I’m not really
scared, but of course it’s very scary.” Given what you see
and hear in the film, how would you describe the affects of
detention and harassment on the artist? What lessons does
this offer for detention policies and techniques used by your
government?
In response to questions about why he would risk speaking
out, Ai Weiwei says, “I think, if I don't show my voice and
don’t act as I’ve always believed, then I think I am dead
already. Even if I have a living form, I will see myself as
a dead person.” If you were in his shoes, how would
you reconcile this feeling with his mother’s concern that if
Ai continues speaking out, her grandson may grow up with-
out his father? What would you be willing to risk in order to
stand up for the values you hold dear?
Ai Weiwei is uncomfortable with the idea that people have
sent him money as an act of charity. His friend Jeremy Wing-
field argues that the letters with cash are “not about charity.”
If the cash isn’t charity, what is it?
The Rule of Law
When the government refuses to return Ai Weiwei’s pass-
port, he urges it to follow its own rules. And when asked why
he keeps “pushing the limit,” he says, “I just want to exercise
some of my rights... I just exercise the rights the constitution
gave to everybody.” Why would it be important for an ac-
tivist who routinely challenges authority to invoke the rule
of law?
At the same time that Ai Weiwei insists that the government
follow its own rules, he is critical of those involved in his ar-
rest and detention because for them, “Everything is about
taking orders.” How would you reconcile these two seem-
ingly contradictory sentiments? What’s the difference be-
tween “following the law” and “taking orders”?
After Ai Weiwei’s lawyer, Pu Zhiqiang, complains about a
court being dismissive of his arguments, a frustrated Ai Wei-
wei says, “The reason we go to court to solve our problems
is that we trust the law and we are willing to let the court
settle our dispute.” When citizens can’t depend on courts for
justice, what are the consequences for society?
China
Ai Weiwei observes that despite 60 years in power and 80
million members, China’s Communist Party still acts “like an
underground party.” He asks “Why you make it like a secret
society?” What do you think the answer is?
Ai’s mother says of her son’s treatment, “Different times, but
same circumstances... You were punished just because you
had a different opinion.” How is this evocative of his parents’
experiences in 1957? What’s the lesson about the degree to
which the Chinese government has changed since then?
Ai Weiwei must call a police contact for permission to go
anywhere. The filmmaker is surprised that the call is friendly
and respectful. Ai explains, “You know the system, they all
know the system and we all know the system’s problems.
DISCUSSION PROMPTS
|11DISCUSSION GUIDE
Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case
But we’re all victimized by the system, you know.” How is
the police officer victimized by the system?
Ai Weiwei objects to China’s current status as “the produc-
tion quarters of the world. I mean, just like servants. China is
slavery now to the world. You know, cheap labor.” What re-
sponsibility does the West have for creating and sustaining
this situation? What is the potential long-term impact on
China’s people if its economy is based primarily on providing
multinational corporations with cheap labor?
When asked what he thinks will happen to China, Ai Weiwei
responds, “One day it will completely collapse. I’m trying to
figure out which day. It’s very hard to figure out.” What do
you think will happen to China (and what’s your evidence)?
Additional media literacy questions are available at:
www.pbs.org/pov/educators/media-literacy.php
Taking Action
• Work with an organization, such as Amnesty International, that brings to
light the cases of political prisoners like Ai Weiwei.
• Learn more about Ai Weiwei and his struggles for liberty and free speech.
You can find out about current efforts at
http://www.friendsoffreeexpression.com
• Together with your local library, create an art exhibit and speaker series
focused on free speech and/or the role of a free press in a democracy.
Ai Weiwei
AI WEIWEI
www.aiweiwei.com
Ai Weiwei’s website features his artworks and occasional
blog posts. Also of interest is the live webcam from Ai
Weiwei’s home that is mentioned in the film:
http://weiweicam.com/
FREE AI WEIWEI
www.freeaiweiwei.org
This site was mounted by Ai Weiwei’s supporters, who
often use it to say things that he cannot.
FRONTLINE: WHO’S AFRAID OF AI WEIWEI?
www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/ai-wei-wei
The website for this 2012 PBS documentary includes a
range of background information about the artist and his
activism.
Supporting Open Societies
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
www.amnestyusa.org
An international organization dedicated to exposing
injustice and promoting human rights. In 2015, Ai Weiwei
was named a joint recipient of Amnesty International’s
Ambassador of Conscience Award, along with Joan Baez.
GLOBAL VOICES
www.globalvoicesonline.org
This site aggregates news from a volunteer community of
more than 1,200 writers who find, translate and report the
most compelling and important stories from marginalized
and misrepresented communities.
HUMAN RIGHTS FIRST
www.humanrightsfirst.org
This human rights organization challenges the U.S. to live
up to its own ideals of freedom and justice. The website
offers fact sheets on a range of issues, from closing
Guantánamo to responding to the rise of far-right parties
in Europe.
MOVEMENTS
www.movements.org
This project of the organization Advancing Human Rights
(www.advancinghumanrights.org) crowdsources liberty by
connecting dissidents in closed societies with individuals
around the world with skills to help. It also provides
information and strategies on how to use digital media to
publicize dissident struggles.
REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS
http://en.rsf.org
This group supports freedom of information as the
foundation of democracy. Its resources include handbooks
for journalists, campaigns to help journalists who have
been arrested and research on the status of press freedom
around the world.
RESOURCES
|12DISCUSSION GUIDE
Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case
FILM-RELATED WEB SITES
AI WEIWEI: THE FAKE CASE
www.thefakecase.com
The film’s website provides clips from the film and a press
kit with background information.
ROSFORTH
http://www.rosforth.com
Filmmaker Andreas Johnson's website includes information
on Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case, as well as his past and
upcoming films.
Original Online Content on POV To further enhance the broadcast, POV has produced an interactive website to enable viewers to explore the film in
greater depth. The Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case website—www.pbs.org/pov/aiweiwei—offers a streaming video trailer
for the film; an interview with the filmmaker; a list of related websites, articles and books; a downloadable discussion
guide; a standards-aligned lesson plan; a downloadable reading list; and special features.
HOW TO BUY THE FILM
For information on how to purchase Ai Weiwei: The Fake Casefor home viewing or for educational/institutional use, visit http://www.kinolorber.com/.
The See it On PBS logo is a trademark of the Public Broadcasting Service and is used with permission. All rights reserved.
Produced by American Documentary, Inc.,
POV is public television’s premier showcase
for nonfiction films. The series airs Mondays at
10 p.m. on PBS from June to September, with primetime specials
during the year. Since 1988, POV has been the home for the
world’s boldest contemporary filmmakers, celebrating intriguing
personal stories that spark conversation and inspire action. Always
an innovator, POV discovers fresh new voices and creates inter-
active experiences that shine a light on social issues and elevate
the art of storytelling. With our documentary broadcasts, original
online programming and dynamic community engagement cam-
paigns, we are committed to supporting films that capture the
imagination and present diverse perspectives.
POV films have won 32 Emmy® Awards, 18 George Foster
Peabody Awards, 12 Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Awards,
three Academy Awards®, the first-ever George Polk Documen-
tary Film Award and the Prix Italia. The POV series has been
honored with a Special News & Documentary Emmy Award for
Excellence in Television Documentary Filmmaking, two IDA
Awards for Best Continuing Series and the National Association
of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) Award for Corporate
Commitment to Diversity. More information is available at
www.pbs.org/pov.
POV Digital www.pbs.org/pov
Since 1994, POV Digital has driven new storytelling initiatives
and interactive production for POV. The department created
PBS's first program website and its first web-based documen-
tary (POV's Borders) and has won major awards, including a
Webby Award (and six nominations) and an Online News Asso-
ciation Award. POV Digital continues to explore the future of in-
dependent nonfiction media through its digital productions and
the POV Hackathon lab, where media makers and technologists
collaborate to reinvent storytelling forms. @povdocs on Twitter.
POV Community Engagement and Education
POV's Community Engagement and Education team works with
educators, community organizations and PBS stations to pres-
ent more than 650 free screenings every year. In addition, we
distribute free discussion guides and standards-aligned lesson
plans for each of our films. With our community partners, we in-
spire dialogue around the most important social issues of our
time.
American Documentary, Inc. www.amdoc.org
American Documentary, Inc. (AmDoc) is a multimedia company
dedicated to creating, identifying and presenting contemporary
stories that express opinions and perspectives rarely featured in
mainstream media outlets. AmDoc is a catalyst for public cul-
ture, developing collaborative strategic engagement activities
around socially relevant content on television, online and in com-
munity settings. These activities are designed to trigger action,
from dialogue and feedback to educational opportunities and
community participation.
Major funding for POV is provided by PBS, The John D. and
Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the John S. and James L.
Knight Foundation, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and
National Endowment for the Arts. Additional funding comes
from Nancy Blachman and David desJardins, Bertha Foundation,
The Fledgling Fund, Marguerite Casey Foundation, Ettinger
Foundation, New York State Council on the Arts, New York City
Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Coun-
cil, Ann Tenenbaum and Thomas H. Lee, and public television
viewers. POV is presented by a consortium of public television
stations, including KQED San Francisco, WGBH Boston and
THIRTEEN in association with WNET.ORG.
You can follow us on Twitter @POVengage for the latest news from
POV Community Engagement & Education.
Media Sponsor:
Front cover: Ai Weiwei. Photo courtesy of Andreas Johnsen