Tian yu (1998)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Joan Chen

Writers:

Joan Chen (writer)
Geling Yan (novel)

Release Date:

29 April 1999 (Singapore)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Young teen girl Xiu Xiu is sent away to a remote corner of the Sichuan steppes for manual labor in 1975...

Plot Keywords:

Revolution | Girl | China | Directorial Debut | Teenage Girl

Awards:

12 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Xiaolu Li	...	Wenxiu (Xiu Xiu) (as Lu Lu)
Lopsang	...	Lao Jin
Zheng Qian	...	Li Chuanbei
Jie Gao	...	Mother
Qianqian Li	...	Sister
Yue Lu	...	Father
Qian Qiao	...	Chen Li
Cheng Jiang	...	Rider A
Xiaoyu Yang	...	Girl
Xuejun Gu	...	Rider B
Huri	...	Holligan
Zhizhung Lik	...	Headquarter's Chief
Kun Zhang	...	Assistant
Shijin Li	...	Jeep Driver
Dong Jia	...	Yak Herder A

Also Known As:

Xiu Xiu he ta de nan ren (China: Mandarin title) (bootleg title)
Xiu Xiu: The Sent-Down Girl

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexual content.

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

Hong Kong | USA | Taiwan

Language:

Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | New Zealand:R18 | Argentina:18 | Chile:18 | France:U | Hong Kong:IIB | Singapore:R(A) | USA:R

Company:

Good Machine

Trivia:

Although the U.S. distributor claimed the film was banned in China for sexual and political content, the script was actually approved by the Chinese government. The film was only banned after the filmmakers decided not to wait for permits before shooting in Tibet (such permits are required for a film to receive official approval).

Sad, affecting, and haunting

What affected me and haunts me most about Xiu Xiu is the character of Lao Jin and his tender, sexless love and caring for Xiu Xiu. He does his best to make her life easier in a place that she hates, and his pain and frustration mount as he sees how she is destroying herself. His deep, sincere, and inarticulate caring for her touched me profoundly. I wished that a romantic love could develop between them (and I am not generally into movie romances -- very few of them really work for me) but that was out of the question from the beginning, since Lao Jin was castrated. That very fact gave their relationship a sense of tragedy from the beginning.

I would love to see more of this Tibetan actor, Lobsang. Imdb info shows this movie as his only film credit.

The locale was spectacular and gorgeously photographed. Only intellectually could I understand Xiu Xiu's dislike of such a gorgeous place (as well as her lack of appreciation for Lao Jin's caring for her). But both characters were very believable and involving, and this sad movie will stay with me for a long time.