What a fantastic
documentary!
Simple, chaotic, funny, subversive and
moving.
With consummate simplity, Ju An Qi roams the street of
Beijing to gain an insight into a culture which is grappling with change
but which holds on to recent tradition with a white knuckled
grip.
In making this sublime work and due to the shortage of 16mm
stock in China Ju An Qi utilised all manner of 16mm stock (some years out
of date) to create a truly guerilla work. In fact all the material which
was shot, was used in the film.
Rather than attempt to prise open
the culture (which according to Ju has lost the art of spontaneity) by
asking formal questions, this crew simply asks "is there a strong wind in
Beijing?" Like Jeff Krulick's classic pop-culture work Heavy Metal
Parking Lot, Ju is not so much interested in what is said but the WAY
it is said. It is truly amazing just how much a simple gesture or reaction
can reveal about a person and in this instance how much it can reveal
about a culture.
In it, the crew of three wander unannounced into
through beauty parlours, toilets, schools, restaurants, public squares and
all manner of locations. They eavesdrop on public phone conversations,
knock on doors and generally have loads of fun capturing some inspired
moments which run the gamut of hilarious to intensely moving. The film's
final sequence and only real semblance of cohesive story is a powerful and
enormously moving moment. And through it all they paint a picture so
detailed and honest that you cannot help but marvel at their clarity of
vision.
Dazzling and cool stuff, destined to be a film festival
staple and underground favourite for a long time to come.
This is a
very special piece. If you're a new filmmaker, you need to see this
film.
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