Curatorial Fellow, Chinese Cinema;

Position Summary

This Curatorial Fellow position is a full-time, 18‑month limited appointment that contributes to BAMPFA’s film department. This placement will bring depth and specialization to BAMPFA's public film programs, publishing, collection development, and relationships with the international community in the field of Chinese cinema, encompassing China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the Chinese diaspora across the history of cinema. The role involves conceptualizing, curating, and managing 30+ film programs annually, coordinating with domestic and international partners, and engaging audiences through scholarly and public‑facing activities.

The Curatorial Fellow will shape BAMPFA’s film offerings, advance the institution’s educational mission, and support its strategic initiatives.

One of the nation’s leading university museums, the University of California’s Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA) is a forum for cultural experiences that transform individuals and advance the local, national, and global discourse on art and film. As the premier visual arts venue at America’s top public research university, BAMPFA is uniquely dedicated to art and film in equal measure, presenting more than 300 film screenings, dozens of public programs, and 10 exhibitions annually.

• Conceptualize, curate, and manage logistics and budgets for 30+ film programs per year.
• Research, locate, and secure film prints and media from domestic and international distributors, archives, collectors, artists, and the BAMPFA collection.
• Negotiate rental and loan agreements, rights clearances, and manage related correspondence. Source film stills and screener copies.
• Oversee technical requirements for screenings, including legacy formats, contemporary digital formats, and specialized setups.
• Invite and host guest presenters (filmmakers, scholars, actors, subject experts).
• Write program notes, short essays, and other content for BAMPFA publications, such as the Program Guide and website.
• Conduct research on areas of Chinese film history and publish a book‑length study on a specialized area (possibly an extension of the candidate’s dissertation).
• Work on a publishing project that can be produced by the end of the two‑year appointment, collaborating with BAMPFA staff, project manager, editor, and graphic designer.
• Maintain awareness of national and international trends, scholarship, and developments in film exhibition and media arts.
• Represent BAMPFA at professional meetings, conferences, festivals, and public events.
• Support marketing and outreach, including press interviews, radio and TV appearances, and providing content for media relations.
• Cultivate relationships with distributors, artists, curators, collectors, foundations, donors, and other stakeholders.
• Support the Director of Film and Senior Film Curator and the film department in identifying potential donations, acquisitions, and preservation projects.
• Use language skills to help identify and catalog films without English titles or subtitles.
• Recommend films for acquisition, deaccession, conservation/preservation, and access via special collections, contributing to identifying acquisition and conservation priorities.
• Help develop special collections under the guidance of the Director of Film and Senior Film Curator and film department staff.
• Cultivate financial support and donations for films and specialized collections.
• May lead work‑study students and interns.

• Extensive knowledge and appreciation for the full range of moving image styles, both past and present.
• Knowledge of film exhibition practice and archival issues gained through experience programming at a cinematheque, museum, festival, film archive, or film theater.
• Excellent verbal and written communication abilities, including the ability to communicate complex concepts about the history of cinema and aesthetic issues to an audience that ranges from casual filmgoers to seasoned cinephiles and academics.
• Strong organizational skills; able to set priorities and meet deadlines.
• Awareness and understanding of diverse communities served locally, nationally, and…