Qing hong (2005)

Director:

Xiaoshuai Wang

Writer:

Xiaoshuai Wang (writer)

Release Date:

3 June 2005 (China)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

In the 1960's, encouraged by the government, a large number of families leave Chinese cities to settle in the poorer regions of the country...

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Yuanyuan Gao	...	Qinghong
Bin Li	...	Xiao Gen Er
Yang Tang	...	Zhou Meifen
Xueyang Wang	...	Xiao Zhen
Anlian Yao	...	Wu Zernin

Directed by
Xiaoshuai Wang

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Xiaoshuai Wang		writer

Produced by
Huatong Li	....	executive producer
Wei Li	....	executive producer
Li Pi	....	producer

Original Music by
Wu Zhang

Cinematography by
Di Wu

Film Editing by
Hongyu Yang

Sound Department
Jingyan Zhang	....	sound

Production Companies

• Debo Film Ltd.
• Stellar Megamedia
• Kingwood Ltd.

Distributors

• ARP Sélection (2006) (France) (theatrical)
• Artificial Eye (2006) (UK) (theatrical)
• Filmoptimistene (2006) (Norway) (theatrical)
• Teodora Film (2005) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Artificial Eye (2007) (UK) (DVD)
• Divisa Home Video (2006) (Spain) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Shanghai Dreams (International: English title)

Runtime:

France:123 min

Country:

China

Language:

Mandarin | Shanghainese

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

UK:15

Company:

Debo Film Ltd.

Deserving 2005 Cannes "Prix du jury" winner

In good company such as "Broken Flowers" which won the "Grand prix" at Cannes this year, "Shanghai dreams" brought home the "Prix du jury" which it well deserves. The movie has little to do with Shanghai except as a backdrop. The story takes place in Guiyang in the province of Guizhou in the '80s.

The centre character of the movie, Qinghong (the Chinese title of the movie), is a bright, sensitive and sensible teenage girl who moved with her family from modernised coastal Shanghai to the more backwards interior 10 year ago. Her father was initially happy to be a worker participating in the strategic scheme to form a "third line of defence" in the event of war against the Soviet Union, but soon started to blame her mother for persuading him into this folly. He became bitterer every day as Shanghai prospered and longed to return at the first available opportunity which, unfortunately, seemed elusive.

This historical background adds another dimension to the familiar and universal story of general gap and family strife. Added to this is social and class conflict, when Qinghong develops a romantic attachment to a young local factory worker. There are also subplots that give the audience insightful glimpses, through various well-depicted character, into the life of the industrial-rural community.

The movie starts at a characteristically slow pace, but picks up momentum towards the end with a tinge of a suspense thriller (just a tinge though). It has a solid ensemble cast, mesmerising photography of the bleak but character-rich landscape and great direction. Thoughtful attention to details is very evident in, for example, some of the simple scene of family dinner. There are also crisp montages (particularly towards the end) that tell the story in a remarkably efficient and interesting way.

"Shanghai dreams" is one of those movies that starts feeling a bit slow but gets more and more engrossing once you get into it. You come out with a feeling that your experience has been enriched. It's a movie that you would want to talk about afterwards.