Tuya de hun shi (2006)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Quanan Wang

Writers:

Wei Lu (writer) and
Quanan Wang (writer)

Release Date:

8 June 2007 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

Set in Inner Mongolia, a physical setback causes a young woman to choose a suitor who can take care of her, as well as her disabled husband.

Plot Keywords:

Mongolia | Family Relationships | Drought | Accident | Camel

Awards:

4 wins

Cast

Nan Yu	...	Tuya
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bater	...	Bater
Sen'ge	...	Sen'ge
Zhaya	...	Zhaya

Directed by
Quanan Wang

Writing credits
Wei Lu		(writer)
Quanan Wang		writer

Produced by
Deshun Gong	....	co-producer
Jugang Yan	....	producer

Cinematography by
Lutz Reitemeier

Film Editing by
Quanan Wang

Makeup Department
Lu Yingchun	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Hui Yuan	....	production manager

Sound Department
Peng Jiang	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Daniel Pauselius	....	gaffer

Production Companies

• Maxyee Culture Industry
• Xian Motion Picture Company

Distributors

• A-Film Distribution (2007) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Arsenal (2007) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Discovery Films (2007) (Yugoslavia) (theatrical)
• Frenetic Films (2007) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Golem Distribución (2007) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Lucky Red (2007) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Maywin Media (2007) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Music Box Films (2008) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• NonStop Entertainment (2007) (Denmark) (theatrical)
• NonStop Entertainment (2007) (Finland) (theatrical)
• NonStop Entertainment (2007) (Iceland) (theatrical)
• NonStop Entertainment (2007) (Norway) (theatrical)
• NonStop Entertainment (2007) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Pretty Pictures (2007) (France) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• China Film Group (2006) (worldwide) (all media)
• Discovery Film & Video Distribution (2008) (Croatia) (all media)
• Kinosmith (2007) (Canada) (all media)

Also Known As:

Tuya's Marriage (International: English title)

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

China

Language:

Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Germany:12 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | South Korea:12 | Netherlands:6 | Taiwan:GP (original rating)

Company:

Maxyee Culture Industry

Definitely worth a Berlin Golden Bear

Tuya' marriage is among one of the most successful attempts by China's sixth-generation directors to make a good film. Other equally successful ones included the Beijing Bicycle, the Little Red Flowers, etc, which were all made by film directors not quite familiar to Western viewers --- at least not as known as big names like Zhang Yimou.

The film is so real to life and depicts the life on the vast lands of Inner Mongolia so well, that it reminds me of my piecemeal impressions gathered during my trip to Inner Mongolia six years ago --- people were impoverished but so kind, materially backward but spiritually advanced, and the traditional way of life is preserved well.

Yu Nan's performance is really amazing. The plot is so moving and touching that at some points I felt so much involved as to worry about Sengge's death through drilling.

This is a new kind of experience even for Han Chinese to learn about the Mongolian life, and I hope it can be the same kind of revealing experience for audience in the West to understand the ethnic diversity in China --- Mongolians live harmoniously with Han Chinese in the same country called "China", just as it is the case with the other 55 minorities, including Tibetans.

In a nutshell --- Tuya's Marriage indeed deserves the Golden Bear at Berlinale, be it in essence or in name.