茶 Click HERE for all First Impressions entries. 

^{Illustration by Ruby van der Hoeven}

We are constantly seeking submissions for 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, a section of Cha: An Asian Literary Journal devoted to compact reviews of books and films (300–800 words; negotiable) that may also include personal reflections. We welcome first impressions on any books and films, old or newly released, with an Asian angle. We haven’t published many film reviews, and we particularly hope that this can be rectified. Please write to Tammy Lai-Ming Ho (tammyho@asiancha.com) if you would like to contribute a piece.

“As Cha: An Asian Literary Journal is, well, an Asian literary journal, we are particularly interested in pieces that explore Asian cinema in its many dimensions. By “Asian films”, we mean not only works produced in Asia—ranging from the rich traditions of Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Korean, and Southeast Asian cinemas, to the emerging voices in Central and West Asia—but also films by Asian diasporic directors and artists who reflect on identity, heritage, and cultural negotiation in global contexts. We are equally keen on essays that examine how Asian philosophies, mythologies, and aesthetics are expressed through the cinematic form, whether in popular blockbusters or in more experimental, independent productions.” —Tammy Lai-Ming Ho

Our first 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 entry is by Susan Blumberg-Kason, who writes about Dorothy Tse’s novel 𝑂𝑤𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ (Fitzcarraldo Editions, 2023), translated from the Chinese into English by Natascha Bruce.

Susan wrote: “I’ve always sensed that Hong Kong has a unique way of combining the old and new in ways few cities can pull off. When I walk through parts of Kowloon or the New Territories, I can still find many of the same buildings and shops I knew from decades earlier.”

Read Susan’s piece HERE.

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