Asian Movie Pulse

Film Review: Dante’s Inferno: An Animated Epic (2010) by Jong-sik Nam, Lee Seung-gyu, ...

Sat, 24 Oct 2020 09:30:51 GMT

Within European literature, there are many landmark moments which have set the tone and inspired many works over centuries, and will likely continue to do given their timeless themes, characters and settings. Among those texts, we find Dante Alighieri’s impactful verse epic “Divine Comedy”, the story of a man who ventures into hell, accompanied by Vergil, the famous Roman poet, and observes how the sinners are tortured and made to pay for their deeds on earth. Its impact on philosophy and literature as well as popular culture cannot be measured, especially due to the way Alighieri describes the hierarchy of the underworld as well as the punishments of the sinners. Apart from those types of media already mentioned, its world and characters have also inspired video games such as “Dante’s Inferno” and the parallel release of “Dante’s Inferno: An Animated Epic”, a feature directed by many filmmakers, each of whom responsible for one of the circles Dante and Vergil travel through on their way to the master of hell, Lucifer.

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After returning home from the crusades, knight Dante finds his home has been destroyed, his servants killed and his great love Beatrice slain. To make matters worse, shortly after his lover has taken her last breath, Lucifer appears, claiming her soul for himself since Dante has betrayed her love and become sinful during his time in the holy land. Although he swears otherwise, the devil will not hear him and disappears into hell, leaving the knight in front of the gates, stripped of his armor, but marked by the sins he has committed in his life. As he is about to give up hope of rescuing Beatrice Vergil, the famous Roman poet, appears at his side, offering his services at guiding him through the various circles of hell.

While Dante and Vergil make their way through the various spheres of hell, with the knight fighting off Lucifer’s minions and hearing the stories of the sinners who he sees being punished, he is confronted with his past, realizing how he has led a sinful life and committed unspeakable crimes. Meanwhile, Lucifer introduces his plan to Beatrice, who is supposed to marry him and, given her status as a pure soul, set the foundation for the devil’s final descent to God’s creation.

As mentioned before, the various episodes or rather circles of hell have been made by a different director. Although the filmmakers involved include a variety of well-known artists, for example, Yasoumi Umetsu (“Kite”) and Shuko Murase (“Witch Hunter Robin”, character designs for “Final Fantasy IX”), it is impossible to assign one director to a specific part of the overall movie. However, this is not necessarily a negative aspect, since “Dante’s Inferno: An Animated Epic” works quite well, as a harmonious whole without any of the episodes standing out in terms of quality. While the structure of the majority of them stays the same, except for some of them including flashbacks to Dante’s childhood or his crimes during the crusades, they mostly end with the knight fighting a big monster, staying true to the source material which is, after all, the video game.

Despite its repetitive structure, “Dante’s Inferno: An Animated Epic” manages to benefit from the aspects which have made the game unique. Apart from the overall world design, there is the central character as well as the historical context of the crusades which deliver quite a lot of depth amid the action and bloodshed. Especially for those who have never played the game, Dante is quite an interesting choice for a protagonist, a man claiming he is virtuous and done wrong by God, but who eventually turns out to be an anti-hero who has committed quite a lot of sins, some of which unspeakable war crimes. Although the history of the crusades remains sketchy at best, its link to the biography of the protagonists is quite a powerful statement about the crimes committed in the name of the church.

Additionally, the animation offers some quite impressive designs, in particular the various circles assigned to the punishment of sinners. Among these episodes, “Limbo” has to be one of the most impressive and haunting, emphasizing the mercilessness of the hereafter and the rigidness of the system differentiating between virtue and sin.

In the end, “Dante’s Inferno: An Animated Epic” is an action-filled and quite entertaining animated feature. Given it uses the same source material as the video game from the same year, it also benefits from the same features which made the game special.

Music Video: DJ Shadow’s Six Days by Wong Kar-wai

Sat, 24 Oct 2020 06:30:09 GMT

In 2002 renowned Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai directed the video for “Six Days”, a song by American trip-hop artist DJ Shadow, from his second album, The Private Press.

Shot by his long-term collaborator, Australian cinematographer Christopher Doyle, it features actor Chang Chen and Malaysian model Danielle Graham.

Hong Kong International Film Society Hosts World Premiere of Stoma

Sat, 24 Oct 2020 03:30:36 GMT

The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (HKIFFS) tonight hosted the long-awaited world premiere of “Stoma”, Kit Hung’s devastating but ultimately sanguine story of survival and resolve.

Initially scheduled for the cancelled 44^th Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF44) earlier this year, the screening took place during CineFest at K11 Art House. Director Hungand lead actor Sing Lam were in attendance to meet and share their insights with the audience afterwards.

The screenplay for “Stoma” was written by the late cultural icon Julian Lee, based on his long battle with cancer. The film follows an emotionally harrowing journey endured by young gay photographer Alex after he is diagnosed with peritoneal cancer. Abandoned by his brother and his dithering lover, Alex is forced to face his mortality and the loss of sexual identity, through sheer resilience.

“It is taboo to talk about diseases or cancer in traditional and conservative Chinese society, simply for their inauspicious implications, and discussions on sex and homosexuality even more so,” explained Hung, who directed the acclaimed “Soundless Wind Chime” in 2009. “So you can imagine the predicament of a cancer-afflicted gay man who becomes an invisible victim of double discrimination.”

“Through “Stoma”, I hope the audience can hear the voices of the marginalised gay community,” he said. Lead actor Lam also noted that his role in the film was the most stressful and heart-wrenching among all his acting experiences.

Film Review: Wet Woman in the Wind (2016) by Akihiko Shiota

Fri, 23 Oct 2020 22:09:49 GMT

While many may still look down upon a genre such as pink film, many entries in Nikkatsu’s Roman Porno Reboot Project are not only entertaining to watch, they have also garnered quite a lot of critical acclaim. The guidelines of having, more or less, complete artistic freedom and the obligation to add a few nude scenes in the story has worked for titles like Sion Sono’s “Antiporno”, a movie which not only works as a titillating feature, but also as an in-depth look about gender images in film as well as class. In 2016, Akihiko Shiota, a director who has had experience working in the field of pink film, managed to convince both audience and critics with his entry into the project called “Wet Woman in the Wind”, a story about temptation and pretense.

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Popularity comes with a price for Kosuke (Tasuku Nagaoka), a famous playwright, who, in order to escape the media and the female admirers chasing him, has built himself a small ramshackle hut in the middle of a forest close to the Japanese coast. However, his plans to work in peace are thwarted by the arrival of Shiori (Yuki Mamiya), a young girl who has started to work at a café in the village close to the forest. After he has ignored several of her advances and flirtations, she is set to tempt and eventually sleep with the author, who is quite annoyed by her ways to get his attention.

Upon a visit to the village, Kosuke learns he is not the only one Shiori has set eyes on, since the owner of the café where she works is on the verge of divorce due to his affection for her. As days pass by, Shiori does everything in her power to disturb Kosuke’s idyll in the forest; she even brings other men to his hut and has sex with them while he observes or stays outside hearing them moaning. Matters become even more complicated when Kosuke’s ex, a famous actress, arrives with a small group of actors and her female assistant, planning to make her former lover give up his plans, return to the stage and get back together with her.

As with many entries in the pink genre, using the label pornography fails to fully define a movie such as “Wet Woman in the Wind”, especially due to its thematic and technical aspects. In many ways, Kosuke is a representative of the kind of pretentiousness which can be at times observed with people working in the cultural sector. In the name of culture and to concentrate he has turned himself into a hermit, more or less isolated in the woods, satisfied with his pose as the artist who needs distance in order to work.

Shiori is a character exposing the pretentiousness of this pose. Using her female features and the promise of sex to lure Kosuke out of his condition and admit the ridiculousness of it, is her plan, as with some of the other males she has already seduced. While the set is, as with many pink movies, rather minimalist, the ramshackle hut is a fitting and quite funny metaphor for Kosuke’s pompous interpretation of the artist and his work, with Shiori repeatedly destroying parts or at least damaging it. In that regard, her dialogues with Kosuke are filled with incredibly funny banter and sexual innuendos, a battle of words and wits to determine how bullet-proof the author’s new standard of living and celibacy truly is.

Additionally, Shunsuke Kida’s jazzy, moody score is the perfect music to emphasize the comedic parts as well as the sex scenes as its finds the right balance between the various tones of the story.

“Wet Woman in the Wind” is a beguiling feature about temptation, seduction and the idea of pretentiousness, especially in the artistic field. Apart from titillating sex scenes, Akihiko Shiota’s work is a great blend of comedy and even romance, another great entry into the Roman Porno Reboot Project.

Film Review: Far East Deep South (2020) by Larissa Lam

Fri, 23 Oct 2020 16:53:46 GMT

From “Joy Luck Club” to “Fresh Off the Boat” to Awkwafina-starring “The Farewell,” Chinese-American diaspora narratives have progressively gained traction over the last few years. “Far East Down South” – featured as a part of CAAMFEST Forward’s 2020 programme – shows the potential to situate itself within this lineage of multigenerational Asian-American experience. Unlike its predecessors though, Larissa Lam’s feature takes a deeply personal angle — but perhaps this angle is too personal, since it estranges more than it connects.

“Far East Deep South” screened at CAAMFest Forward

“Far East Deep South” runs on a simple premise: the SF-based Chiu family decides to take a road trip to find his ancestors’ first stop in America: in Pace, Mississippi. On the way, they dig up more information related to Chinese-American settlements in this locale. Tears are shed and hugs are shared as the family retraces their ancestors’ footsteps across America. Whence realizing their family’s complicated migratory patterns, the family finally resorts to the books in San Francisco to recover their lost family history.

Overall, “Far East Deep South” inspires a more philosophical question: What makes a film a film? Upon viewing, one would think that a film is merely a collection of footage on a FinalCut file. “Far East Deep South” is more of a feature-length Youtube video than it is a film. The family photographs are sloppily thrown up and set aside in a cheap software transition; the labels all in a glaringly generic sans-serif font. Let’s not even mention the over-the-top soundtrack, which is obnoxious to boot — including tracks like “American-Born Chinese” to kick off the film.

This isn’t to say this sort of home video is bad per say; it just feels like a self-serving passion project. In other words, it makes you wonder why — unless you are watching this for an academic context — you should care.

There is a merit in this PBS documentary style though, since the film – particularly towards the second part – attempts to paint a larger picture of Chinese-American, and in particular, Chinese-American-Black communities in the turn of the 20th century. Interestingly, they paint a picture not of solidarity, but of co-existence. Locals recall sharecropping methods, and modes in which – surprise surprise – people of color were segregated in the deep South. Embedded within interviews of Pace locals and a sheen of historical commentary, therein lies a gem of age-old solidarity.

The picture is muddied however, through a self-pitying lens. The anecdotal evidence is still largely saccharine. The timelines are muddled and the interviewees are cited in disjointed soundbites. This, in addition to Baldwin Chiu’s own shallow recitations of modern-day microaggressions — such as being poked at for karate, chasing after basketball and hip-hop, leading to his own self-effacing white-washing. There’s actually an enlightening scene where Baldwin asks his father, “Why didn’t you ever tell us about our history?” And the father replies, “Well, you just weren’t interested.” And that is precisely “Far East Deep South”‘s problem. Aside from the grandfather figure – who is infinitely the most interesting character for his emotional turmoil over rediscovering his absent father’s life. The film feels less of a historical documentary than it does of Baldwin’s personal reckoning with the roots of his own family’s past – one that he has been largely sheltered from for his much of his life.

Nonetheless, it is heartwarming to see Baldwin confronted with the fraught history of his grandparents’, ranging from the Chinese Exclusion Act to the new Jim Crow. By exploring this multigenerational narrative, Lam’s picture sheds light on the bigger picture of Asian immigration beyond the coasts. This father-to-son(-to-great-grandfather?) epic spans continents and oceans, ultimately revealing that there is more than what first meets the eye. Though “Far East Deep South” does not hold any intrinsic cinematic value, it is sure to be a notable example of the intricacies of modern-day diaspora narratives.

Anime Trailer: Poupelle of Chimney Town by Yusuke Hirota

Fri, 23 Oct 2020 09:30:59 GMT

From famed author, artist and comedian Akihiro Nishino comes “Poupelle of Chimney Town”. Created at Tokyo’s famed STUDIO4ºC, Poupelle of Chimney Town tells the story of young Lubicchi living among the thick smoke from the chimneys of his isolated town. Lubicchi yearns to see the stars and blue sky his father always told him about, and one fateful Halloween night he meets Poupelle, made of rubbish and scraps stuck to a wayward heart.

The beauty and warmth of Poupelle of Chimney Town opens hearts, evokes joy and even brings a tear.

Opens in Japan December 25, 2020 / Around the World 2021

Documentary Review: The Shepherds (2018) by Elvis Lu

Fri, 23 Oct 2020 06:30:26 GMT

In 1996, Yang Ya Hui formed the Tong-Kwang Light House, the first accepting LGBTQ+ church. Despite the passing of the founder in 2008, the church is still active in the fight for equality. Religion has always, for the most part, been hesitant (or just downright reluctant) to accept different sexualities outside of heterosexuality. To be shunned from the society you have devoted so much to, and the community you believe in for something you cannot control must be heart-breaking. This film is an exploration of religion, love, equality, and the people of Taiwan.

“The Shepherds” is screening as part of the Taiwan Film Festival Edinburgh and Queer East Film Festival team-up: TFFE x QEFF

Focusing on three people who work for the Tong-Kwang church, and carry forward its message, the narrative revolves around their journey during Taiwan’s legalization of same sex marriage. An important shift in human rights for the country, and a progressive example for much of the world. What unfolds is a story about perseverance and kindness. The fight for LGBTQ rights is not easy, but it must be done, and the documentary looks at what sacrifices people must make to hopefully create a better world.

Interspersed throughout the film are black and white photos (from the early days of the church) and footage accompanied by narration. This helps ground the overall experience in a feeling of longevity, a feeling that this is not the end of the struggle nor the beginning. The church has been around for a while, and in many ways, it represents more than just a place of worship: for many it is a family.

It is hard to talk about the formal aspects of such a movie, because they are not important here; however, they do adequately present the reality of the people it focuses on. The only issue would be that the piece does not really follow up on the history of the church, and instead it solely focuses on the time in which it is filmed. It seems a shame to not delve into the past of such a prominent and forward-thinking church. For a western audience that may not be aware of Yang Ya Hui, it feels like a missed opportunity to not explore her life. This creative choice does hurt the end product, but not enough to ruin the experience overall, as the documentary is still a compelling insight into Taiwan’s LGBT world.

“The Shepherds” is a great fly-on-the-wall look at a journey towards a better world. Whilst everything seems to be falling apart in 2020, this piece reminds you that people are still fighting for a better future. It is nice to be reminded that positive things can still happen in an age that feels so negative.

How a VPN Can Help You to Secure Your Disney Plus Account?

Fri, 23 Oct 2020 04:38:00 GMT

It hasn’t been a complete year since Disney Plus was launched on Nov 12^th 2019, and yet it has gained about 60.5 Million subscribers considering it is available in only 13 countries.

The reason for such massive popularity is because it has almost all Disney movies, Marvel movies, Star Wars movies, and so many more new titles.

But as I said, these titles are only available in 13 countries. Even if you’re travelling in a country where Disney+ services aren’t available, you’ll be left with no choice at all and just accept the fact.

To watch Disney Plus on your device from anywhere in the world, you will need a VPN that works with Disney Plus.

In this guide, I’ll be showing you to completely secure your device with a VPN while you watch Disney Plus and surely, I’ll be discussing how to watch Disney Plus from anywhere.

Why Do You Need a VPN to Watch Disney+?

Disney Plus is currently available in 13 countries but it is continuously working on licensing agreements with various countries to make its streaming service available everywhere.

But before that happens, Disney Plus has geo-blocked its content elsewhere. Geo-restriction uses your IP address to detect your location.

If the service detects that you’re from a country where Disney+ isn’t available, it will show you a message that says:

‘Sorry, Disney+ is not available in your country’

Now, a VPN plays an important role towards streaming. You see, if you connect to a US server then it assigns you a US IP address.

Disney+ will then think you’re in the US and grants you access. A VPN will not only assign you with a new IP but it will hide your online activity and identity as well so no one actually learns your original location.

Is It Legal to Watch Disney+ with a VPN?

VPN is perfectly legal to watch with Disney Plus but they obviously do not advise their users to use a VPN while streaming as it is disclosed in their subscriber agreement.

The reason why Disney Plus does not want its subscribers to use a VPN is because it has licensing agreements with certain countries regarding which shows will be available in which country.

If you use a VPN and watch a title that is unavailable in your country, then you will be going against Disney+ subscribers’ agreement.

However, there are no consequences in using a VPN unless your country has banned the use of it which is rarely a possibility.

So, you can freely use a VPN service for Disney+ like I have shown in the following section.

How to Use a VPN to Watch Disney Plus Securely

Step 1: First, you need to subscribe with a VPN.

Step 2: Download and Install the VPN app on your device

Step 3: Open the app enter Login details

Step 4: Connect to the US server because Disney+ is available in the US

Step 5: Once connected, open Disney Plus website or app and start streaming!

What Can I Watch on Disney Plus?

At the launch of Disney Plus there were about 300+ titles available for streaming. But now, we see that these figures have multiplied.

You won’t just find Disney Movies in Disney+ service, but actually a lot more than that. You will find Pixar movies, Star Wars movies, Marvel movies, and so much more.

Here’s a list of popular titles available for streaming:

Once upon a time
Agent Carter
Smart Guy
Runaways
The Mandalorian
Boy Meets World
Lizzie McGuire
Marvel’s Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D
Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey

What Else Can a VPN Do?

A VPN will not only help watch Disney Plus securely or it will help you unblock the streaming service, but it will also do the following:

Complete protection of your online privacy by hiding your real IP address
It encrypts your internet traffic through an encrypted tunnel which is completely secure
It has an automatic Kill Switch feature that disconnects your internet if your VPN connection drops all of a sudden
It even hides your online traffic from your ISP, Government, and hackers.
You will get unlimited bandwidth and data
With a single account, you can protect multiple devices at the same time

Key Takeaways

Disney Plus has been on the talk lately because of the many people streaming the service because of work from home and in pandemic.

Even though it is available in only 13 countries so far, you can watch Disney Plus using a VPN from anywhere around the world.

It includes the most popular titles including the Marvel movies, Star Wars, Disney movies, and so much more.

It can’t be compared to Netflix for sure but it has proved to be one of the best streaming services available at this time.

What to Study in College to Become an Anime Show Animator

Fri, 23 Oct 2020 02:28:28 GMT

Anime is one of the most popular fields of Asian cinema. As it gains traction, more students are drawn towards an animation career in the Japanese film industry. There are many ways to establish a career in the field, but you must have the minimum academic qualifications. If you are a talented student wondering which college degree to study and how to gain experience for a career in anime creation, read on.

Educational Requirements to Be an Anime Creator

You need a degree in animation. Several college programs can give you the required skills for the job. Some ideal four-year degrees to take include:

Graphic Design;
Computer Graphics;
Fine Arts;
Comic Art;
Visual Arts;
New Media.

The title of the program may vary from one institution to another. However, the most basic requirement is the inclusion of animation coursework. The program must be focused on giving the technical skills and artistic know-how of animation. Bear in mind that anime programs require hand-drawn animation but might eventually move to 3D types. Acquiring a variety of skills is the goal of getting a college degree in this field.

Apart from technical skills, animation degree programs also teach students how to use various software. From the basics like Adobe and Final Cut Pro to more advanced software like Maya, all these are crucial for creating anime.

Breaking into the Anime Industry

Despite having a large viewership in the west, anime does not have many creative studios out of Japan. The competition for jobs in Asian animation is quite stiff, especially amongst the big production companies. It means that students hoping to join the industry must do the following.

Learn Japanese Culture

You must understand the history of anime before delving into a career. Take some time to learn social norms, pertinent issues, and popular trends. This gives insight into your stories’ plots and characters. Because many production companies run Japanese language contests for animators, learning the language puts you at an advantage.

Become a Mangaka

It is very unlikely that a production company will convert your raw ideas into anime. You must first create manga, which is the comic book version of anime and publish it. Based on your skill and the community’s response, you might get into the film industry.

If you have a manga that you think deserves recognition, you can enter a competition. Some production companies accept submissions in a foreign language. The winners of these competitions are hired. You can also self-publish your book. Marketing on social media can draw attention to your work.

Internship

You must have experience working in the film industry break into anime creation. Apply for internships or apprenticeship opportunities. Many senseis are willing to work with inexperienced graduates.

While doing the internship, you will create a professional portfolio. You will also amass some contacts that will help you break into the industry. The most important thing to do while on the internship is to learn as much about the industry as you can.

Create a Professional Portfolio

A student with a professional anime creation portfolio is more likely to get hired. Your portfolio tells employers that you have experience in the genre. The pieces in your portfolio can be gotten from classwork. While undertaking a program related to animation, your instructor will require you to create a portfolio before you graduate. You can pay an essay writing service to write your portfolio.

Take Additional Courses

Although a college degree is not always compulsory for a career in animation, having one improves your chances of landing a job. Your qualifications are boosted by additional courses that are specific to Anime creation. If you can afford it, travel to Japan and take specialized manga and anime short courses.

Learn from Seasoned Artists

Anime Expo has yearly conventions for creators, fans, and aspiring artists. Attending these conventions is a great way of learning from seasoned animators. Be sure to ask specific questions about perfecting your skill set and getting hired. Because seasoned animators have the experience, they can teach you lessons that no college education can.

Conclusion

Anime creation is a lucrative career. To succeed, you must have a related college degree. An animation specific degree is best, but any art program will do. It is important to learn the basics of the Asian film industry from the start.

Apart from a college degree, one must also take additional courses. Learning how to use the software, draw Manga, and market it is essential. With the right education, one can establish a solid career in Japanese animation.

Film Review: Oasis (2002) by Lee Chang-dong

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 21:58:50 GMT

There is far more to the plot of Lee Chang-dong’s “Oasis” than initially meets the eye. The opening hour of the movie appears to be a rather bland and generic take on a melodrama with an unlikely match, between an ex-con Hong Jong-du (Sol Kyung-du) and Han Gong-du (Moon So-ri), who suffers from cerebral palsy. Fortunately, the romantic plot is later nuanced by a more layered focus on social issues and tensions within the families of both of the main characters.

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We meet Jong-du a mere couple of hours after his release from a prison. He did time for killing a man in a hit-and-run, but shows lack of remorse for the deed (as well as an attempted rape charge, another sin from the past). His comeback isn’t welcome by the family. A sister-in-law admits to him bluntly: “with you out of the way I felt good about life”. With no money in his pocket, lack of understanding for social etiquette and little desire for work, the protagonist does not meet the requirements of a self-sufficient, independent and active young male in a dynamic South Korean society. It is unclear whether he was conditioned to be a misfit, or rather, he is one out of his own volition. Is Jong-du really a constant troublemaker, or rather the usual suspect and a scapegoat exploited by other family members? Lee’s film explores these questions and juxtaposes the ex-con’s arc with that of his love interest, Gong-gu.

She happens to be the daughter of the man Jong-du killed in the hit-and-run incident. What draws them together into this unlikely, and for some other characters even disturbing, pairing is the similar position within the society. Gong-gu is an outcast and a rather problematic addition to her brother’s family. Because of her status as a person with a movement disability, she requires constant care and attention. Gong-gu’s busy brother passes this duty to his neighbours for a mere 20,000 wons a month.

The strongest point of “Oasis” is the way in which the film succeeds in entwining so many contrasting emotions, like that of simultaneous sympathy and loathing for the protagonist, in such a minimalist plot. It also evades being a cheap and teary narrative about two handicapped, alienated people. Rather, by focusing on the social and economic inequalities, it offers a moving critique of a neoliberal ‘you better keep up or you’ll be left behind’ logic that motivates the actions of other characters in the movie.

Apart from its down-to-earth focus on the grimness of the protagonist’s lives, Lee Chang-dong, in a fashion typical for his oeuvre, adds elements of a more mystical (or even expressionist) aesthetic through visual effects. The subtle ways in which actual events slowly develop into fantasies of main characters contribute to a more introspective look at their relationship. The subjective, point-of-view shots also add to this strategy, whereas the long takes show moments of serenity between the two leads. Thus the cinematography (Choi Yeong-taek) is always correlated with the elated or hopeless state of mind of Gong-gu and Jong-du.

The acting from Sol Kyung-du and Moon So-ri proves to be essential in creating the unique tension between their characters. The mobile and freewheeling performance from Sol stands in stark contrast with a passive (for obvious reasons) Moon. Tasked with playing Han Gong-du, a woman not really able to make any movement or utter a fully comprehensive sentence, Moon So-ri was presented with a very limited set of acting devices, which makes the end product all the more impressive.

Han Gong-du moves with a disturbing ease from being a rape victim to a woman infatuated with her oppressor. This sequence is a disappointingly simplistic justification of the rape culture. Apart from this, Lee Chang-dong’s film turns out to be one of his first great works (later followed by “Secret Sunshine” (2007), “Poetry” (2010) and “Burning” (2018)). It’s a slowburn offering that immerses the viewer into the world of the two characters at its own pace. The final 30 minutes are a rewarding, moving and even heartbreaking crescendo that conclude with an oddly serene and surreal ending.

Short Film Review: Please Translate (2019) by Kelsy Lua

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 16:45:53 GMT

The language barrier, particularly when added to the generational gap between parents and children, can be significantly high to overcome, while creating a number of issues. Kelsy Lua explores the issue by placing it in a relationship between an American-born teenage daughter and a Chinese immigrant single mother, adding a few other levels in her 6 minutes short.

“Please Translate” review is part of the Submit Your Film Initiative

The film begins during a breakfast the two share, where the aforementioned problems are presented in all their glory, since the differences between the two women are revealed not just from their language but also from the way they look. Frustrated daughter Mei cannot handle the fact that her mother, Wang Yu does not have enough money, and actually accuses her for not learning the language in order to get a better job than the florist’s she works at. Wang Yu tries to hide how hurt she is by her daughter’s words, but during an incident in her work, she realizes that she is right. As she doubles her efforts to learn the language, her daughter shows her true feelings.

Apart from the aforementioned issues, Lua also comments on how difficult it is to learn such a different language at that age, while also highlighting the difficulties single mothers have to face in the US, juggling work, caring for their children and doing house chores. Her message however, is quite optimistic, since she seems to state that effort, but most of all love, can overcome every boundary, particularly when there is understanding in the relationship.

Nick Lane’s cinematography focuses on realism, although the production is somewhat too polished, particularly due to the use of light, and in combination with the mellow piano music, occasionally makes the short look like a TV commercial. Anabel Inigo’s editing is quite good, as the succession of scenes and the overall pace allows Lua to present her comments thoroughly, despite the only 6 minutes of the film.

Sue Zen Chew as Mei highlights the “blights” of adolescence in all its glory, as does the fact that she loves her mother. Yin YIn Liow is excellent as Wang Yu, communicating all her feelings in laconic, but highly realistic and eloquent fashion.

The overall aesthetics of “Please Translate” may seem more suited for TV, but it is a very interesting short that manages to communicate its comments in ideal fashion, through a rather sensitive approach.

Made in China: The Best Non-Trivial Films for Students Studying Chinese

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 16:27:22 GMT

Modern China has already been known for the country’s booming and developing economy. But what do we actually know about China and Chinese culture? What can we say about Chinese cinematography? If you’re a student willing to find out more about Chinese cinematography to practice language skills, you’ve come to the right place. Here you can find the top 5 Chinese films that can help to upgrade your Chinese listening skills. Read on!

Farewell My Concubine, 1993

The film is based on an interesting Lilian Lee’s novel ‘Farewell My Concubine.’ The story is about 2 male main actors and friends playing in Beijing opera, and the woman who sets them apart. The plot of this popular film not only depict the exciting story but also – tells about both political and social instability of that time (the mid-1800s) in China. The acting and amazing visuals of Farewell My Concubine and historical context (or setting) make the film even more descriptive and beautiful.

Mind that the film lasts nearly 3 hours; thus, this is a perfect film for you to plunge into the atmosphere of the mid-1800s in China, and meanwhile – learn Chinese. When enjoying films like these, you can do both – watch legendary, world-famous classics and practice language skills.

Blind Shaft, 2003

Blind Shaft is a film based on the short novel Sacred Wood (Shen Mu) by Chinese writer Liu Qingbang; the scriptwriter and director was Li Yang, who became world-famous after the film. The ratings of Blind Shaft at IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes are impressive as well – 7.5/10 and 95%, respectively.

The plot is about Chinese con artists who pretend to be coal miners, and in such a way, gain money for a living. The plan of the main characters Song Jinming (the real artist’s name – Li Yixiang) and Tang Zgaoyang (the real artist’s name – Wang Shuangbao), was to run a scam that they’ve previously managed to accomplish many times.

Previously they’ve killed another miner and arranged the death as an accident to get compensations as the victim’s family members. Their new plan was to duplicate the situation with a young teenage boy as their new victim. Nevertheless, their plan ruins as soon as one of the con artists starts feeling mercy and sorry to the boy.

The film is about moral issues that people face in rural and poor regions of China, about social problems, rising poverty in modern China, about the difficult and unbearable life of people forcing them to struggle and eke out a living in any possible way.

This film would be great for a student to watch as a perfect way to learn and practice specific vocabulary, to find out in more detail about every-day life problems of the poor in China and thus – get a full understanding of China and Chinese.

Beijing Bicycle, 2001

Trying to find a topic for your movie review or already thinking to seek assistance, check essay writing service reviews to pick the best one for you? Great ideas, but hold on for a moment! The following touching drama by the director Wang Xiaoshuai, who’s considered to be Sixth Generation Chinese director, will impress you.

Beijing Bicycle is a drama film about a 17-year-old young jobseeker Guei (the real actor’s name – Cui Lin) that came to Beijing. He eventually gets hired as a courier and receives a new bicycle from the company. However, the bike got stolen, and stubborn Guei tries to find his new bicycle.

Meanwhile, Jian (the real actor’s name – Li Bin) buys the Guei’s bicycle at a second-hand market. When Guei finally finds the new owner (and obviously, his bike), not only the issue of the bicycle appears to be questioned. The film itself develops the issues concerned about social inequality, theft and rural-urban socio-economic change.

This film is perfect for getting into the real-life issues of modern Chinese society, while not being highly dramatic and emotionally difficult to watch (as Blind Shaft, for example). Here you can find useful vocabulary used not only in Beijing but also in rural regions of the Chinese Republic, that can be very useful in your learning path.

Chinese cinematography, unfortunatel,y has not become highly popular and well-known for many Americans lately. However, there are many amazing masterpieces that you’ll find interesting – no doubts. And isn’t it amazing that you can also develop and learn Chinese with the help of captivating and non-trivial Chinese cinematography? No student will be able to resist the interest!

Album Review: Lovetheism (2020) by Haru Nemuri

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 12:26:03 GMT

Born and raised in Yokohama, Japan, Haru Nemuri has been making noise around the Japanese music scene since her first project, “Sayonara, Youthphobia” dropped in 2016. It was only when she released her 2018 ‘official’ debut, “Haru to Shura” that she started to attract some well-deserved momentum internationally, thanks in large to Anthony Fantano AKA Theneedledrop’s sterling, yellow flannel’d review. Drawing acclaim for her seamless fusion of rap, spoken word, electronica, J-pop, and rock, as well as her frenetic vocal delivery and performance style – her live show is like watching an exorcism take place on stage – anticipation for Nemuri’s 2020 follow-up skyrocketed. Also billed as a mini-album, “Lovetheism” clocks in at a swift 7 songs and 25 minutes. Short, yes, but make no mistake, Nemuri wastes no time on pleasantries – she’s here to blow the house down.

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The first sounds we hear on “Lovetheism” are the commanding, victorious booms of fanfare trumpets. Traditionally, this signifies a grand entrance, a ceremonial declaration by a supreme presence – usually royalty – that demands to be heard; considering the name of the track itself is “Fanfare”, it’s clear Nemuri has no intention of being the exception to the rule. The trumpets are replaced by an epic, looping guitar riff that sounds like a warning of Ragnarök yet to come. Nemuri appears, her vocal pacing erratic, taking audible deep breaths between verses as she waxes poetic about love, anger, the spirit, the self.

If it’s your first time listening to Nemuri, this triumphant opener tells you everything you need to know. Throughout the album, her vocal delivery morphs from euphoria, to meditation, to one-woman angry mob, to straight-up rock goddess. Despite her voice not being the strongest in a technical sense, it’s still her greatest tool, and she twists and stretches it to its limit, transitioning from a schoolgirl’s whisper to a woman possessed, screaming until you can hear her voice collapse in exhaustion. There’s a popular proverb commonly used inside the sphere of musical theatre: “When the emotion becomes too strong for speech, you sing; and when it becomes too strong for song, you dance.” Disclaimer: Haru Nemuri’s “Lovetheism” is no musical, nor is it inspired by. However, in an odd way, Nemuri unknowingly spins her own version of this technique, building such emotional catharsis with her vocals that when her range reaches a breaking point, the instrumental takes the reigns and catapults the song into a final, glorious crescendo.

The best example of this is on “Trust Nothing But Love”, the electrifying and exorcising follow-up to the album’s foreboding opening track; If “Fanfare” is the announcement, “Trust Nothing But Love” is Nemuri’s divine deliverance, taking the very best of her musical sensibilities and squeezing them into four and a half minutes of throat-shredding ecstasy. A protest song at heart, she belts “everything is your world, everything is my world” with empowering but frustrated urgency that reflects the turbulence of the world in 2020.

“Lovetheism” is sprinkled throughout with these bite-sized mantras that guide Nemuri’s worldview, often performing them in English, perhaps to spread the gospel across borders: On “Pink Unicorn”, another standout from the album, she chants “feel or die, think or die” while on the titular track, “Lovetheism”, she repeats – surprise, surprise – “Love The Ism”. While the latter may be on the nose, the rest of the track is written and delivered earnestly enough to stop it from being just another hollow song about how love is the answer to the world’s problems. Nemuri’s idea of love isn’t instantaneous, nor something to be acquired, but rather something to strive for. She’s not forcing love down our throats, but simply reminding us of its power as an affirmation. Other standouts include “Riot”, a beautifully written, spoken word ode to life and the act of living, and “Be Your Ocean”, a downbeat, grimy track that threatens to drown itself in melancholy but ultimately stays afloat.

Haru Nemuri’s “Lovetheism” is a short but sweet project that showcases the versatility and vibrance of her artistry. Backed by noisy, maximalist instrumentals, she makes the most of her limited runtime by injecting her soul into the vocal performances. The only downside is that she never manages to top the glowing three-track run that opens the album, ultimately leaving the listener just slightly underwhelmed and wanting. However, as a teaser for bigger things to come, she’s certainly whetted the appetite and raised the bar for herself. Sound the trumpets – Haru Nemuri isn’t finished with us yet.

Trailer: Seobok by Lee Yong-ju

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 11:55:02 GMT

Director Lee Yong-ju makes his long-awaited return to the big screen, eight years after “Architecture 101”, with “Seobok”, starring heartthrobs Gong Yoo and Park Bo-gum.

Synopsis

Ki-hun is an ex-agent of the intelligence agency. Seobok is the first human clone ever and he possesses the secret for eternal life. Ki-hun gets involved in dangerous situations due to several forces who want to take possession of Seobok.

It is to Lee Yong-ju’s credit that all three of his directorial so far have been o varying genres: his debut “Possessed” is a classic Korean horror film, “Architecture 101” remains one of the finest Korean romances while “Seobok” is a sci-fi action thriller. Gong Yoo, who returned to the big screen last year with “Kim Ji-young: Born 1982”, takes on the role of Ki-hun, while Park Bo-gum will play the titular Seobok. They are joined by Jo Woo-jin in his third release of the year and Jang Young-nam (“Metamorphosis”). “Seobok” is scheduled for a December, 2020 release.

Trailer: Oath to Megumi by Sho Nobushi

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 04:51:11 GMT

With the life of Megumi Yokota, who has been abducted since the age of 13, on the vertical axis, this work depicts the struggle and the preciousness of unbroken parent-child love among the abductees, including Yaeko Taguchi.

Film Review: The Young Rebel (1975) by Ti Lung

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 22:39:00 GMT

Hsiang Rong (David Chiang) is a young man whose life is put on hold after his father tragically dies in a truck accident. He has no choice but to look for work in order to keep his family alive. He seems angrier rather than sad, being caught in his current situation and starts to develop hatred and disrespect towards people around him. As it turns out, his best friend Gen Lai (Ti Lung) manages to secure him a job as a delivery boy in a small grocery shop but with less pay and long hours. On top of that, he has to put up with his mean boss who always scolds him and slaps him around, and this only builds up more frustrations and rage.

Moreover, Hsiang Rong is rather negligent himself; he sometimes skips work in-between deliveries to catch up with friends and he shoplifts. At times during his delivery runs, he stumbles upon thugs who rob him and beat him up. There’s a regular girl customer whom he fancies and he always gives her extra portion but their romance never takes root. However, he’s royal to his own sister and his aging mother and treats them well. In the mean time, Gen Lai has joined the police force while Hsiang Rong’s future is at a dead end with a low paid job that has no prospect. During this time, he starts learning martial arts and within a year, he becomes the top student. But his teacher can see that he’s only expressing his rage through kung fu and has no respect for others, and accordingly, he expels him.

One day, while delivering goods to a crime boss Tou Cheng’s (Lu Dik) mansion, Hsiang Rong gets into a fight with the bodyguards, and impressed by his skills, Tou Cheng offers him big money as one of his top men. As money starts pouring in and unbeknownst to his family, he now embarks upon a new life as a criminal. Before long, he will cross path with his policeman friend.

“The Young Rebel” is Ti Lung’s second and last outing as a director. It was distributed by Shaw Brothers but made with Chang Cheh’s company and the production values look high. Besides showing a good flare in story telling, Ti Lung also has a small role as the kind and helpful Gen Lai, the opposite of his angry friend Hsiang Rong, played by David Chiang. The introduction of kung fu in this movie functions as a treat for viewers to witness his amazing fighting skills. However, most of the action is of the hand-to-hand street fight variety, simple but very well-choreographed by Lau Kar Wing, Chan Chuen and Hwang Pei Chih nonetheless.

Interestingly, Simon Yuen Siu Tien, who plays the martial arts teacher, would later on, gain much success with Jackie Chan in “Drunken Master”. There’re other well-known masters like Eddy Ko and Lee Hoi San who play boss Tou’s henchmen, and all of them have a decent fight time on screen near the end. Elsewhere, Sammo Hung also can be seen running an illegal back street gambling stall.

Without a doubt, this’s a David Chiang’s movie; in which he excels portraying an angry young man that progresses from being a pushover to a master at his own game. He handles the different mood swings with ease and shows competent in his fight scenes. There’s even a bicycle chase where he takes us through the back street of suburban Hong Kong of the mid-70s.

Overall, this is an average youth drama with a strong moral message throughout. However, it’s sophisticated and artistically filmed by Ti Lung with good intention in mind.

Music Video: Susan by Khavn feat. Jazz Nicolas

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 16:45:12 GMT

From the soundtrack of “Bamboo Dogs” by Khavn, here is “Susan”, a music video that is cult just for having Rez Cortez dancing in a wig, the same one he wore back in 1980, for the film Bongga Ka Day.

Famous Celebrities Who Love Bingo Games

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 16:15:28 GMT

When you think of those who love bingo games, you’d be forgiven for automatically thinking of the elderly. While this isn’t wrong, you’ll be surprised to know that bingo games are especially popular with a range of A-listers! Indeed, bingo games appeal to those from all walks of life.

There are many celebrities who love bingo games, and some even like to host their own bingo games from time to time. In addition, a few even have stakes in a variety of bingo games halls in the UK. With online bingo gaining popularity, bingo is one of the fastest growing casino games – visit barbadosbingo.com.

Catherine Zeta-Jones’ Personal Bingo Games Affair

It’s no secret Catherine Zeta-Jones is a lover of bingo games, so she just had to be top of this list. Zeta-Jones enjoyed bingo games since childhood, and has said that her love of the game is due to her Welsh upbringing. As she grew older, her bingo games love affair never faded.

So much so, reports have even suggested that this famous A-lister regularly holds her own bingo games nights in her home. Her love for bingo games could also be down to the fact her parents won £100,000 at a bingo games hall, and used the money to enrol her in ballet and dance classes.

Kate Moss and Family Bingo Games

Kate Moss, once married to Jamie Hince and now divorced, decided to pack in the rock n roll lifestyle for Saturday bingo games nights with friends and family. A wild child back in the 90s, Moss has since become a real family person. According to reports, Kate enjoys bingo games with Sadie Frost and family.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Bingo Games Lingo

Fun fact: Cristiano Ronaldo used bingo games to learn english. Having moved to Manchester United from Lisbon in 2003, he couldn’t communicate with the manager at the time Alex Ferguson. To improve his language skills, Ronaldo interestingly turned to bingo games! Apparently he was given a DVD of bingo games.

According to reports, this Christmas present helped him greatly when it came to picking up english phrases and words. In addition, it led to his love for bingo games and Ronaldo once even described bingo games as “very exciting” to a newspaper. If it’s good enough for Ronaldo, it’s good enough for us!

Russel Crowe and Bingo Games Calling

Another fun case of celebrities who love bingo games, Russel Crowe’s relationship with bingo games is among the more interesting out there. Reportedly, Crowe was a bingo caller when he was 22 in his hometown in New Zealand, but was fired for making up rude names! Nevertheless, he’s been spotted playing bingo games since.

Final Thoughts on Famous Celebrities Who Love Bingo Games

It’s so fun to realise celebrities are just like us, and the fact there are so many famous celebrities who love bingo games is only a testament to its greatness. One of the casino games which has truly stood the test of time, it’s exciting to think about what the future has in store for bingo games. Why not try a round of bingo games today and see if you love it too?

Scotland Loves Anime Festival Comes to Screen Anime This Month

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 09:30:29 GMT

In a year that has proven challenging for films and the venues that show them, the Screen Anime channel is delighted to announce that it will host the digital line-up of Scotland Loves Anime, a celebration of Japanese animation that has attracted tens of thousands of visitors over 11 years, and help to support the local cinemas that host it.

Andrew Partridge, CEO of Anime Ltd and founder of Scotland Loves Animation explains, “Supporting cinemas through what has been a tough year is something really important to all of us at Anime Limited and Scotland Loves Animation. We can’t wait to show off what the festival has to offer on Screen Anime and help out our friends at both the Filmhouse and the Glasgow Film Theatre as much as we can.”

From 25th October until 25th November 2020, enjoy a celebration of two iconic franchises – Monkey Punch’s charismatic master thief Lupin III, and the J-Pop infused Love Live! Series with a line-up over twice the size of our usual selections. Scotland Loves Anime will also be offering exclusive work-in-progress previews of hotly anticipated anime movies to come, including Josee, the Tiger and the Fish, a moving romance from Studio BONES (My Hero Academia).

Scotland Loves Anime will also see the return of Screen Anime favourites Weathering With You, Penguin Highway, and Patema Inverted. Weathering With Youwill also be available with an exclusive commentary track by Festival Jury Chairman Dr. Jonathan Clements, who will also be introducing all of the films, which are as follows:

Lupin III: The Secret of Mamo (15) – Plans to pilfer a pyramid are complicated by faked deaths, double-crosses and world-ending schemes in this 1978 adventure that endures as a celebrated yet polarising part of the master thief’s long history.
Lupin III vs Detective Conan: The Movie (N/C 12) – One of the most ambitious crossovers in anime history sees the master thief on the run from Conan Edogawa, protagonist of the equally iconic Detective Conan (Case Closed) franchise.
Lupin III: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine (TV Series, 15) – A 13-episode series with mind-bending visuals that recontextualizes the world’s deadliest femme fatale, and aims to uncover what thoughts lie behind her pretty face. Directed by Sayo Yamamoto (Yuri!!! On Ice), with series composition by Mari Okada (Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms).
Lupin III: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine – Jigen’s Gravestone (N/C 15) – When Lupin III’s trusted marksman stumbles upon his own grave, Daisuke Jigen must find out why he’s in the crosshairs of a hitman with such a chilling calling card. Directed by Takeshi Koike (Redline).
Lupin III: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine – Goemon’s Blood Spray (N/C 15) – When the modern day samurai Goemon Ishikawa fails to protect his yakuza client from the powerful “Ghost of Bermuda”, he must team up with Lupin III and Jigen to preserve his honour – with blood.
Lupin III: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine – Fujiko’s Lie (N/C 15) – The famed femme fatale has made a living from lies, but when she’s asked to save the son of an embezzler whose fortune she’s after, will she get caught up in her own deception?
Love Live! The School Idol Movie (N/C 12) – With their senior members’ graduation approaching, an exciting concert opportunity leads the girls of school idol champions μ’s to find meaning in their remaining together, performing in their biggest show yet!
Love Live! The School Idol Movie: Over the Rainbow (N/C 12) – The members of Aqours are preparing for life at their new school when word of their upperclassmen going missing leads them on a journey not just to Italy, but to the realisation of how much they mean to one-another, and what they must do to take that next step forward.
Patema Inverted (PG) – Fall into the sky with the sheer escapism of a topsy-turvy fantasy that will challenge your perceptions. Winner of the 2013 Scotland Loves Anime Jury and Audience Awards.
Penguin Highway (12) – When cute penguins start waddling into a rural Japanese town, it piques the interest of the ever-curious schoolkid Aoyama in this cute coming-of-age story with dashes of science fiction. Based on the novel by Tomihiko Morimi.
Weathering With You (12) – Makoto Shinkai’s beautiful storm of teen love returns to Screen Anime, this time with an exclusive optional commentary track featuring Dr. Jonathan Clements. Winner of the 2019 Scotland Loves Anime Audience Award.
Production I.G. Short Film Collection (12) – A collection of five award-winning short films from Production I.G., the studio behind Ghost in the Shell, directed by some of the best animators in Japan.
Work in Progress: Josee, The Tiger and the Fish (rating TBC) – Dr. Jonathan Clements and BONES’ president Masahiko Minami talk with staff of this moving film that’s still in production.
Work in Progress: Inu-oh (rating TBC) – an early glimpse at the latest film by Science SARU and celebrated auteur Masaaki Yuasa (Night is Short, Walk on Girl).

Lupin III: The Secret of Mamo, Lupin III vs Detective Conan: The Movie, the Production I.G. short films and the Work in Progress features, will only be available in Japanese with subtitles.

New and current Screen Anime members will receive full access to the Scotland Loves Anime library. Screen Anime will also be supporting the festival’s crowdfunding efforts, donating two-thirds of all proceeds made during the festival to its usual hosts, the Edinburgh Filmhouse and Glasgow Film Theatre cinemas.

Film Review: Young Sangye (2019) by Zhang Guodong

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 08:47:35 GMT

Given their shared history, the relationship of Tibet and China has not been the best, to put it mildly. Nevertheless, with its rich wildlife, countryside and spirituality, Tibet remains something of an idyll to many people working in the field of culture, also in China. In order to make a movie in the country, Chinese filmmaker Zhang Guodong eventually moved to Tibet and has directed many documentaries over the years, such as “Rogan Family Affair”, which won Best Documentary at Hong Kong Documentary Film Festival. “Young Sangye” is his feature debut, telling the story of a young boy who lives a simple life in the rural part of Tibet, but has an unquenchable thirst for knowledge.

Together with his parents, Sangye (Ju Qiong Qin Zhe) lives in the heart of Tibet, in a small village close to the mountains. At his school, he is one of the best students as he tries to read and learn as much as possible and his free time allows him. Given his drive to learn more, his parents are often quite exhausted with their son, especially when he starts skipping school, claiming he can learn more about the world in nature. He also uses the time to find and collect coryceps, a kind of fungus he can sell to certain vendors and is used for medication and other purposes. With the money Sangye wants to buy an encyclopedia to finally be able to learn more about the world and nature.

During the school holidays, a few of the villagers go to the mountains in search for cordyceps, and this year Sangye and his parents join in. When a tradesman visits their tent to negotiate prices, the man is quite taken with Sangye’s skills at calculating and doing business, but wants him to go to school again after the holiday. In order to encourage him, he says he will buy him an encyclopedia, if the boy keeps his promise and collects more cordyceps for him. However, when after the holiday the man does not show up again, Sangye becomes restless and eventually frustrated, and decides to make his way to the city in order to claim what is rightfully his.

Sangye is a character whose drive to gain knowledge and understand nature makes him very likable to the audience. In the same tradition as characters like Huckleberry Finn, Sangye is set on a goal to comprehend the world around him, a quest for experience which is not profit-oriented like the world of the adults, who have grown accustomed to the ways of the world without fully grasping them. Naturally, Sangye realizes the limitations of what his parents and school might teach him, choosing to search for experiences on his own, much to the frustration of his mother and father, as well as his fellow students who regard him as some kind of outsider.

In general, it is quite interesting to observe the clash between Sangye’s world and the world of the adults. Occupied mostly with gambling and boozing, his father does not understand the drive for knowledge in his son, who eventually takes over the negotiations with the trader since his skills at calculating are much better and he is not easily fooled. However, as soon as the narrative switches from the countryside to the city, even Sangye must realize the limitations of his knowledge and the skills he acquired, resulting in doubt and disappointment. In the end, Guodong tells a story about becoming, a period of transition from the innocence of childhood to a something else, something which remains unclear and vague.

“Young Sangye” is a story about innocence and transition, as well as the thirst for experience and knowledge. Using the beautiful Tibetan countryside as backdrop, Zhang Guodong tells the story of a boy wanting to know more about the world and in the process learns about the harsh realities of the world of the adults.