Sunflower (2005 film)

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Sunflower
Directed by Zhang Yang
Produced by Han Sanping
Peter Loehr
Yang Buting
Written by Cai Shangjun
Huo Xin
Zhang Yang
Starring Joan Chen
Music by Lin Hai
Cinematography Lin Jong
Editing by Yang Hongyu
Distributed by United States:
New Yorker Films
International:
Fortissimo Films
Release date(s) Toronto:
September 10, 2005
United States:
August 17, 2007
Running time 129 min.
Country China
Language Mandarin Chinese
Official website
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

Sunflower (Chinese: 向日葵; pinyin: Xiàng rì kúi) is a 2006 Chinese film directed by Zhang Yang. Zhang's fourth film, Sunflower is a joint production of Ming Productions, the Beijing Film Studio (as part of the China Film Corporation's 4th Production Company) and the Hong Kong subsidiary of the Netherlands-based Fortissimo Films. It was distributed by Fortissimo Films (for international sales), and New Yorker Films for its US theatrical distribution.[1]

The film stars Sun Haiying and Joan Chen as a husband and wife, and the actors Zhang Fan, Gao Ge and Wang Haidi as their son over the course of 30 years.

Contents

[edit] Cast

  • Sun Haiying as Zhang Gengnian, a Beijing painter whose spirit is crushed during his time in a labor camp during the Cultural Revolution.
  • Joan Chen as Xiuqing, Zhang Gengnian's wife.
  • Liu Zifeng as Lao Liu, Zhang Gengnian's best friend and fellow artist.
  • Zhang Fan as Zhang Xiaoyang, Zhang Gengnian's son as an 8 year old boy.
  • Gao Ge as Zhang Xiaoyang as a 19 year old man.
  • Wang Haidi as Zhang Xiaoyang as a 30 year old man.
  • Liang Jing as Han Jing, Xiaoyang's wife.
  • Hong Yihao as Chicken Droppings, Xiaoyang's friend as a 9 year old boy.
  • Li Bin as Chicken Droppings as a 19 year old young man.

[edit] Plot

The film is split into three main segments spanning thirty years. The first segment, in 1976, begins with the return of an artist, Gengnian to his wife, Xiuqing and son after several years of re-education during the Cultural Revolution. He returns however, with injured hands and can no longer continue as an artist. He instead hopes to cultivate artistic aspirations in his son, Xiaoyang, who has taken to hurling stones at strangers with his friend Chicken Droppings. Though he eventually follows in his father's footsteps, Xiaoyang resents his father's pressures and the two soon fall out.

The next segments, in 1987 when Xiaoyang is a 19 year old, and 1999, when he is in his 30s continue to chart the course of Xiaoyang and Gengnian's tense relationship.

[edit] Releases

Sunflower received its international premiere at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2005.

The film was also shown at several international film festivals.

Sunflower was also given a limited released in New York City on August 17, 2007.[6] Playing on only one screen, the film has made less than $24,000 dollars in the US as contrasted to over $8 million dollars from foreign releases.[7]

[edit] Reception

Sunflower was shown at several international film festivals. It ultimately won the Silver Shell for Best Director and the Jury Award for Best Photography at the San Sebastián International Film Festival in 2006.[8]

The general consensus, however, was that this was not one of Zhang Yang's stronger works. Though only seen by a handful of critics, the film has garnered only a mediocre 58% "fresh" rating from review database Rotten Tomatoes, with an even lower 42% rating from the "cream of the crop" critics.[9]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Elley, Derek (2005-09-20). Sunflower Review. Variety. Retrieved on 2007-10-23.
  2. ^ a b c Release Dates for Xiang Ri Kui. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved on 2007-10-25.
  3. ^ Cho, Ben (May 2006). When Hou Met Kuriyami: The Hong Kong International Film Festival Turns 30. Senses of Cinema. Retrieved on 2007-10-25.
  4. ^ Films: Sunflower (xianrikui). Bangkokfilm.org. Retrieved on 2007-10-21.
  5. ^ Pacific Rim Film Festival Schedule. Pacific Rim Film Festival. Retrieved on 2007-10-21.
  6. ^ Wallace, Julia (2007-08-14). Sunflower. The Village Voice. Retrieved on 2007-10-29.
  7. ^ Sunflower (2007). Box Office Mojo. Retrieved on 2007-10-29.
  8. ^ Sunflower, Publicity. Fortissimo Films. Retrieved on 2007-10-29.
  9. ^ Sunflower. Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved on 2007-10-29.

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Films directed by Zhang Yang
Spicy Love Soup (1997) • Shower (1999) • Quitting (2000) • Sunflower (2005) • Getting Home (2007)
v • d • e
Cinema of China