Cinema
The Blue Kite
藍風箏
Tian Zhuangzhuang · 1993
Synopsis
In the Beijing of the fifties, Tietou, “iron head”, is born of the marriage of Lin Shaolong, a librarian, and Chen Shujuan, a schoolteacher; his father makes him a blue kite. During the Hundred Flowers campaign, criticisms put forward in Shaolong's name by a colleague are turned against him; at a meeting meant to fill a quota, he is designated a rightist in his absence and sent to a camp. The child, who narrates, does not always understand what is happening to his family.
Context
The film, written by Xiao Mao, was produced by the Beijing studio and the company Longwick; the cinematography is by Hou Yong. Tian Zhuangzhuang says he finished shooting it in 1992, but the authorities blocked the end of post-production. He describes it as his open confrontation with the film bureau and censorship, and says he wanted to convey the atmosphere of a Beijing courtyard, according to the Archives populaires chinoises. Banned in China as soon as it was completed, the film has remained so; its director was kept out of cinema. It was released in France on 2 February 1994.
Who it is for
A film of two hours twenty minutes, told from a child's point of view; distributed in France by ARP Sélection.
Prizes and reception
It received in 1993 the Grand Prix at the Tokyo festival and the prize for best film at the Hawaii festival.
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