Tuya's Marriage (2006)

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.

Director:

Quan'an Wang

Writers:

Wei Lu, Quan'an Wang

Stars:

Nan Yu, Ba'toer, Sen'ge

6 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview:
Nan Yu	...	Tuya
Ba'toer	...	Ba'toer - the husband
Sen'ge	...	Sen'ge - the neighbor
Bao'lier	...	Bao'lier - the old friend
Bao'erku	...	Bao'erku - the suitor
Zhaya	...	Zhaya - the son
Ting Ting Ren	...	Bao'rao - the daughter

Storyline

Tuya is the persevering wife of Bater, a herdsman who lost his legs exploring water in the Neimenggu (Inner Mongolia) grassland that is fast vanishing as a result of desertification. She takes up the sole responsibility to make a living for the family, but develops a dislocated lumbar from her hard labor and risks paralysis herself. Faced with harsh reality, the couple decide to divorce so that Tuya can seek a better life. Imposing her own conditions of a remarriage - her new husband must take care of Bater, their children and their poor herding land, the strong-minded, stubborn, but also gentle, susceptible Tuya embarks on an arduous search for a new husband, and meets suiters who are rich but disingenuous, likable but shy, and saves a suicidal Bater who still longs for Tuya and their children along the way.

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Plot Keywords:

mongolia | rural setting | family relationships | wife longs for husband | misery | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

China

Language:

Mandarin

Release Date:

8 June 2007 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Il matrimonio di Tuya

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,619, 6 April 2008, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$87,329, 2 November 2008

Company Credits

Production Co:

Maxyee Culture Industry, Xian Motion Picture Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

User Reviews

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.