By Evrim Ersoy Sep 13, 2005, 14:30 GMT
The time in London is now 22.46 and I just got back from the opening premier of Firecracker Showcase. I have a hell of a lot to say so let’s get going.
Tonight we saw ‘Nuan’ at Firecracker directed by Mr. Huo Jianqi. And wow, what a film it was. To be honest with you when I first received the synopsis of the film, it didn’t exactly grab me. But then again, these kind of subtle pieces based on mood and character are the hardest movies to sell. However by the time the credits had rolled, I was completely bawled over by the sheer wonderfulness of this little gem.
‘Nuan’ tells the story of Jinghe who comes back home after being away for ten years. He has attended University and is now in the enviable position of being someone who is respected and who can help the people of his village if they have ‘trouble’. However his arrival heralds the beginning of a new, tumultuous period for Jinghe since living in his village is the old flame he left behind ten years ago, Nuan. The film simultaneously tells the story of Jinghe and Nuan in the past and the present whilst also allowing us to participate in the life of the third of the film’s most important characters: a mute nicknamed ‘Dummy’. To reveal any more would do this fantastic film injustice so what I am going to do is talk about my reflections on this film.
The cinematography in ‘Nuan’ is fantastic. With a deft hand, Huo Jianqi takes us right to the hear of rural China with its’ very striking season, fields of wheat, rivers, ducks, narrow streets and the all encompassing nature of a small villages. His camera captures breathtaking scenery but does not gloat over it, the village and its’ surroundings serve as an almost melancholic backdrop for the drama unfolding. There is also the touch of nostalgia, that mist surrounding the whole of the nature. Jinghe returns forces him to remember, to confront his past memories as well as remember the place in which it was all set. The backdrops play a dual role to the characters with the changes in weather and seasons announcing the changes in the character’s moods, emotions and yearnings. All in all the exquisite beauty of the place encapsulates the whole mood of the piece and the soft, almost fuzzy tones of the color palette help to enrich it further.
But the scenery would not have the impact it does if it wasn’t for the actors and actresses. The three main actors Guo Xiaodong, Li Jia and Teruyuki Kagawa all do a stellar job. Each is more than capable of conveying their emotions through gestures and facial expressions and if one were to watch this film devoid of any dialogue, one would still get the heart of the piece.
In the role of Jinghe Guo Xiaodong captures the perfect balance between guilt and regret. His character’s abandonment of both the village and his first love Nuan is the catalyst which pushes the whole piece forward. The audience feels sympathetic towards Jinghe and during the scenes, in which a younger Jinghe and a younger Nuan swing on the swing in their village, there is a timeless quality, an innocence which is impossible to put into words.
Li Jia is a striking actress and her Nuan, even at her most desolate and upset, still has the capacity to mesmerise and seduce. True in the film she is no femme fatale but one who falls prey to her own emotions over and over again. She plays the character with a striking independence and the audience feels for her disappointment, initial resentment and her desire to stand strong.
Teruyuki Kagawa in role of Dummy is nothing short of astounding. For me, his performance was probably the most brilliant in the film simply because of the fact that he had no understanding of the Chinese language and his character had no lines and yet the emotional metamorphosis his character goes through would not have been any more clearly conveyed. As the husband of Nuan, his initial distrust of Jinghe and his final desire for redemption because of his good nature Dummy is one character whom the audience feels for the most. Set up as a dupe earlier in the film, he proves himself to be as human as any of the characters and even goes further to reveal depths which one would not normally associate with such a character in a movie.
One of the cleverest things about Nuan is how it uses the concept of gifts to suggest something much more intriguing. In Nuan, gifts come to signify many of the human emotions: regret, desire, anger, yearning and even responsibility. The giving and taking of gifts becomes much more than just the everday occassion but more of a ceremony where both the gift itself and the bearer come to signify hidden emotions.
So all in all Nuan is an excellent little film from China and a chance to see something subtle and much more gentle than the usual Hollywood claptrap. If you get an opportunity to catch this film, make sure you do. It is an occasion you are unlikely to forget.
Now I know some of you might feel sad that you missed this great opportunity to view a hard to catch film in the U.K. but wallow not in your self pity, dear reader for the FIRECRACKER SHOWCASE has just started. For the next ten days you will have the opportunity to see some of the most amazing, intriguing and exciting new movies from East Asia and the Far East. For a full programme go to Firecracker Website.
They have the greatest range of movies from horror to action to drama to comedy and probably represent some of Asia’s finest output this year. Oh and a personal note: Firecracker Classics this year is on Im Kwon-Taek who is one of the finest directors ever to have graced our screens. If you can make it to three they will be showing during the festival, trust me you will thank me afterwards.
Oh and there is a SONNY CHIBA TRIPLE BILL. Life couldn’t get any better.
And I even got my program signed by ‘Nuan’’s Director Huo Jianq.
Now on to other news...actually hold on, I’ve just had an idea. If any of you dearest people out there decide to see any of the movies in Firecracker, e-mail me. I have nearly ten or eleven that I am going to see and I would be more than happy to meet up with any of you before the film for a drink. Now isn’t that a stupendous incentive.
And also a quick P.S. Yes I know ps.’s have to come in at the end of letters but hey, I decide where to put a ps. I want to specially and very genuinely thank Nick North and Erika Franklin who arrange Firecracker. They are both very patient, understanding and nice people. ( and on top of all this Erika has a fantastic smile. Me, being a grumpy bastard and everything, even me charmed by it.) Keep up the good work, guys.
And in other news I saw The Cinderella Man. To say that I detested it would probably be such an understatement that I would have to do something very disagreable to someone close to me within the next half an hour. However my companion and dear friend Mr.Z. liked it and thought it did what it said on the tin. I think he’s an idiot. And that he has no taste in movies. But that’s me. He might be right. Oh dear.
And so that’s it for now from me. No one responded to the competition question I asked in the Frightfest column so I win the prize. Yay. Now if anyone would like to win a lovely Nightwatch press foldout, they can write me a short story titled ‘Why doesn’t anyone write to the columnist’ Seriously. You get a prize. With a package. And a ribbon and everything.
Contact Evrim on - evrim dot voorheves at monstersandcritics dot com
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