Aftershock (2010)

The epic story of a family separated as a result of the Great Tangshan Earthquake of 1976.

Director:

Xiaogang Feng

Writers:

Wu Si (screenplay), Ling Zhang (novel)

Stars:

Daoming Chen, Chen Li, Yi Lu

31 wins & 33 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Fan Xu	...	Li Yuanni
Jingchu Zhang	...	Fang Deng / Wang Deng
Chen Li	...	Fang Da
Zifeng Zhang	...	Young Fang Deng (as Zi-feng Zhang)
Jiajun Zhang	...	Young Fang Da
Yi Lu	...	Yang Zhi
Guoqiang Zhang	...	Fang Daqiang
Ziwen Wang	...	Xiao He
Lixin Yang	...	Lao Niu
Zhong Lü	...	Grandmother
Mei Yong	...	Aunt
Lili Liu	...	Sichuan Mother (as Li-Li Liu)
Daoming Chen	...	Wang Deqing (Deng's Foster Father)
Jin Chen	...	Dong Guilan (Deng's Foster Mother)
Baowen Zhang	...	Wang Zhiguo's Wife

Storyline

In Tangshan, the truck driver Da Qiang, his wife Yuan Ni and their twins Fang Da, their son, and Fang Deng, their daughter, are a happy simple family. On 27 July 1976, a devastating earthquake destroys Tangshan, and Da Qiang dies while trying to rescue his children from their apartment. When a collapsed beam traps Fang Da and Fang Deng, Yuan Ni is forced to decide between saving her son or daughter and she chooses Fang Da. However, her daughter Fang Deng overhears her mother's choice and miraculously survives. She is rescued by a soldier and adopted by Mr. Wang and his wife with the name Wang Deng. Thirty-two years later, after an earthquake in China, Wang Deng, now married to a Canadian lawyer and living in Vancouver with her daughter, travels to China and voluntarily joins the rescue team. By chance she meets Fang Da and she learns the drama of Yuan Ni through all those years. The family is finally reunited at Yuan Ni's home, where bitterness is exposed and resolved.

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Plot Keywords:

year 1976 | 1970s | july | summer | tangshan | 

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Taglines:

23 seconds, 32 years.

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Genres:

Drama | History

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Tangshan earthquake of 28 July, 1976 was a magnitude 7.6 earthquake. It mainly affected the industrial city of Tangshan, located in the province of Hebei. The Official estimates of casualties speak of 242,419 deaths caused by the earthquake. Additional casualty estimates may also include those who were injured by the earthquake, but died in subsequent months.

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Goofs

When Fang Da and his girlfriend are driving along the freeway, the year is stated to be 1995 but there is clearly visible a MY 2005 VW Jetta through the driver side window.

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Quotes

Li Yuanni: [at tomb] Daqiang... you love me so much... that you have sent our daughter back.

User Reviews

From a new fan of Chinese cinema

After reading the other very eloquent and well thought of reviews posted so far I believe there is little I can ad to this string. That is, unless I can express my view as a true outsider of Chinese cinema and relatively inexperienced at your beautiful culture.

It's nearly impossible to find words to describe quickly I was sucked into the plot and became a member of the family of four portrayed in this masterpiece. I was in awe of the human tragedy this earthquake was and the amazing technology used to recreate it. However, nothing could have possibly prepared me for the tragic, sad, warm and beautiful human drama that would follow.

I was hoping to say I enjoyed this as much as or even more than any other movie. However, I have never experienced a movie that I can even begin to compare this to. This is a masterpiece and treasure.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [China] Official site [Hong Kong]

Country:

China

Language:

Mandarin

Release Date:

22 July 2010 (China)

Also Known As:

唐山大地震

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$19,329, 31 October 2010

Gross USA:

$62,962

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$100,297,508

Company Credits

Production Co:

Tangshan City Government, China Film Group Corporation (CFGC), Huayi Brothers Media

Technical Specs

Runtime:

135 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital Sonics-DDP (IMAX version)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1