Springtime in a Small Town (2002) Xiao cheng zhi chun (original title)

Director:

Zhuangzhuang Tian

Writers:

Mu Fei (1948 screenplays)
Cheng Ah
(more)

Release Date:

24 January 2003 (Greece)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

Liyan and Yuwen live in post-war torpor, childless but with Liyan's school-aged sister. He coughs, imagining...

Plot Keywords:

Friend | Post War | Arranged Marriage | Marriage | Birthday

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Jingfan Hu	...	Yuwen
Jun Wu	...	Dai Liyan
Bai Qing Xin	...	Zhang Zhichen
Xiao Keng Ye	...	Lao Huang
Si Si Lu	...	Dai Xiu

Directed by
Zhuangzhuang Tian

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Cheng Ah
Mu Fei		1948 screenplay
Tianji Li		story

Produced by
Wouter Barendrecht	....	executive producer
Eric Heumann	....	associate producer
William Kong	....	producer (as Bill Kong)
Shaohong Li	....	executive producer
Xiaowan Li	....	producer
Marc Sillam	....	associate producer
Yatming Tang	....	producer
Alain Vannier	....	associate producer
Michael J. Werner	....	executive producer
Buting Yang	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Li Zhao

Cinematography by
Ping Bin Lee		(as Mark Li Ping-bing)

Film Editing by
Jianping Xu

Production Design by
Kuangming Cheng
Timmy Yip		(as Tim Yip Kam-tim)

Art Direction by
James David Goldmark
Xinran Tu

Costume Design by
Timmy Yip

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
He Lai	....	first assistant director

Sound Department
Jiajin Lu	....	sound

Production Companies

• Beijing Film Studio
• Beijing Rosart Film
• China Film Group
• Fortissimo Film Sales
• Fortissimo Films
• Orly Films
• Paradis Films

Distributors

• Filmmuseum Distributie (2003) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Artificial Eye (2003) (UK)
• Filmfreak Distributie (2004) (Netherlands) (video)
• Madman Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (DVD)
• Palm Pictures

Also Known As:

"Xiao cheng zhi chun" - China (original title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for some thematic elements

Runtime:

116 min | Argentina:115 min (Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema) | Canada:112 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

China | Hong Kong | France | Netherlands

Language:

Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Netherlands:MG6 | Sweden:Btl | UK:PG | USA:PG | Norway:7

Filming Locations:

Wu Zhen, Zhejiang, China

Company:

Beijing Film Studio

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Holiday (2006)

Springtime (in a Small Theatre, Unfortunately)

May be if all films were like Springtime in a Small Town, life would be a tad boring. As it is, the film is a fresh breeze in a stale room, which is also an apt metaphor for the story of a childhood friend and old flame reappearing in a small town, disrupting a dull, lifeless marriage.

This film is understated to the point of being minimalist. It is set in the aftermath of the Second World War, in a small town that has been systematically bombed and now mostly in ruins. In a run down old house lives a husband with a mysterious ailment; his young sister; a wife unsure of what she is looking for in life, certain only that she hasn't found it yet, and an old manservant. Into this mix comes a doctor from the big city, visiting his old friend. Upon arriving he is surprised to discover him married to his childhood sweetheart, the luminescent Yewen (Jing Fan Hu).

So, we have the classic love triangle: except may be not. The tensions which develop between the three main leads are delightfully understated, but culminate in several set pieces of pure drama. Best of all, plot resolution is achieved without the director/scriptwriter feeling the need to tie up all of the emotional loose ends as well. Some may find this leaves an empty feeling. Me, I thought that's life.

If you need another reason to watch this film (apart from the gentle, delicate story and the lovely acting) there is also the gorgeous cinematography of Ping-Bin Lee. This is not of the I-suspect-soon-to-be-ubiquitous overripe Christopher Doyle school, but an altogether more subtle and engaging beauty (though, interestingly, they worked together to create the Hong Kong classic, In the Mood for Love). Lee seems to be able to find beauty and mood in broken buildings, barren spaces and muted colours. It is a tragedy that the MTV generation pushed this film into the repertory theatres, as I would have loved to have seen it on a really big screen.

I suppose people fed and watered on I Robot and Saving Private Ryan might well yawn all the way through Springtime in a Small Town, but I think it was easily the best film (that I saw) in 2002. Well worth its 9/10 rating.