Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl

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Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl
Movie poster
Directed by	Joan Chen
Produced by	Alice Chen Joan Chen
Written by	Geling Yan
Starring	Lu Lu Lopsang Zheng Qian
Music by	Johnny Chen
Distributed by	Good Machine
Release date(s)	1998
Running time	99 min. (theatrical)
Language	Mandarin
IMDb profile

Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl (Chinese: 天浴; pinyin: Tiān Yù) is a 1998 film based during the 1970s and the time of the People's Republic of China's Cultural Revolution's Down to the Countryside Movement, instituted by Mao for political reasons. Xiu Xiu (Chinese: 秀秀), a 15-year-old girl living in the city of Chengdu, moves out to study horses in the countryside, and quickly discovers that she is not returning. She learns lessons about love and life as she struggles against corruption in the government to return to her family by giving government officials her body for their sexual gratification, and deals with her caretaker, Lao Jin.

Although the U.S. distributor claimed the film was banned in China for sexual and political content, the script was actually approved by the Chinese government. The film was only banned after the filmmakers decided not to wait for permits before shooting in Tibet (such permits are required for a film to receive official approval).

[edit] Trivia

Experimental musician Jamie Stewart has referred to the movie as "the saddest film [he] has ever seen," and abridged its title for his indie band, Xiu Xiu.