The Shadow Play [风中有朵雨做的云]

Released: 2018  (PRC, April 2019)    Viewed: May 2019 Lou Ye continues his investigation of the human condition in today’s China. As with 2012’s Mystery, this film takes the form of a thriller. Set in Guangzhou, it opens with a riot in 2012 as city residents object to redevelopment of their rundown area. Tang Yije…

Ash is Purest White [江湖儿女]

Released: 2018    Viewed:  May 2019   Jia Zhangke has been one of the most interesting and inventive Chinese directors since his debut in 1997 with Xiao Wu (also known as Pickpocket). However, his recent films have seen a downturn in form with the very disappointing Mountain may depart (especially the awful final section) while his short…

A Yangtze Landscape

  Released: 2017 Viewed: May 2019 Rivers have played a very important role in Chinese society. The famous TV series 1988 River Elegy [河殇] used the Yellow River flowing through China and out into the ocean as a metaphor for the ‘opening up’ which Chinese society required, in contrast to the static Great Wall. In this…

Love will tear us apart again [我想和你好好的]

Released:2013 Viewed: May 2019 An expensive car screams to a halt in front of Liangliang’s [Feng Xiaofeng] and the rather beautiful Miaomiao (Ni Ni) gets out and sits into his car. She asks him to drive off. At first reluctant, he does so when threatened by her would-be boyfriend. He drops her off at a…

Chinese films at the Far East Film Festival, Udine, 2019

There were only 10 mainland Chinese films at this years heavily Korean-focused FEFF 21 (see below - the description is that of the FEFF organisers). However, these films showed a remarkable change in focus from last year’s selection. (Detailed reviews of most can be found elsewhere on this blog). Unfortunately the China Now sidebar (curated…

The Crossing [过春天]

Released: 2018  Viewed: April 2019, Far East Film Festival   The Crossing, my favourite Chinese film at FEFF 21, follows on from The Foolish Bird in FEEF 20 (also my favourite) and films such as Angels Wear White. All are films about young women growing up in today's China.  It is an excellent first film by…

The Rib [肋骨]

Released: 2018   Viewed: Far East Film Festival, April 2019 "And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man." Genesis 2:22. The Rib is a socially important drama by director Zhang Wei about the difficulties faced by transgender people in China. Huanyu [Yuan Weijie] is a transgender…

A Cool Fish [无名之辈]

Released: 2018   Viewed: Far East Film Festival, May 2019 A Cool Fish (the Chinese title Nameless Generation perhaps makes more sense) is one of the most popular Chinese movies of 2018. The film starts out promisingly when two losers [Zhang Yu and Pan Binlong] attempt to rob a mobile phone shop in a city in Guizhou province (Director…

Baby [宝贝儿]

Released: 2018   Viewed: May 2019 This film by director Liu Jie (Courthouse on Horseback; Judge) is a challenging look at the treatment of children with disabilities in China. (Executive producer is Hou Hsia-Hsien). Jiang Meng [Yang Mi] is a foster child who is still living with her foster mother, although she is past the age of…

People’s Republic of Desire [欲望共和国]

Released: 2018   Viewed: May 2019, Far East Film Festival A fascinating documentary about the (un)reality of life in twenty-first century China by director Wu Hao. The film focuses on on-line performers who command massive attention (and money) on social media. It looks in particular at two star performers: 22 year old Shen Man and 25 year…