Xu Xiaoxi

Xiaoxi Xu

Portrait 2014
Born Xiaoxi Xu
(1981-11-18) November 18, 1981
Chengdu, Sichuan, China
Residence Chengdu, Sichuan, China
Education NYFA - Los Angeles MFA
Occupation Film Director, Scriptwriter
Years active 2009–present
Notable work
This is a Chinese name; the family name is Xu.

Xu Xiaoxi (Chinese: 徐小溪; born November 18, 1981 in Chengdu)[1][2][3] is a Chinese film director and screenwriter. He belongs to a new generation of filmmakers from China that are educated in the West. Since 2010 he co-directs all his films with the Spanish director Roberto F. Canuto and together open a film production company in China, Almost Red Productions.[4]

Xu Xiaoxi obtains some international recognition after receive some awards in international film festivals and, due to the distinct personal style of his movies, Xu Xiaoxi is considered in some circles as a promising figure in the Chinese industry.[5]

Biography

Xu Xiaoxi was born in Sichuan, China. He was influenced into filmmaking since childhood, since his father was a Cinematographer in those times. He bought him a video camera when he was only 8 y/o. He remembers to start writing stories and record it with his friends. After High School, he wanted to travel and experience different cultures. He moved then to South Africa to study Fine Arts, majoring in Painting at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Xiaoxi gains experience and good skills in drawing, painting, photography, and video art. He worked as a video artist in his final year project The Fluxus of ID, a tribute to Maya Daren. He used video images as the prime means of expression regarding perceptions of cultural identity in a globalaized world. In 2006 he received the bachelor's degree of Fine Arts.[6][7]

After graduation, Xiaoxi decides to persuade a Filmmaking career and continue his international experiences, so he enrol in a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) - Filmmaking at the New York Film Academy, Universal Studios (Hollywood). There, he directed many short films in celluloid and digital format and collaborate in many others mainly as Cinematographer (most notorious was Toto Forever, obtaining a nomination for Best Cinematography from his Academy at the Kodak Cinematography Scholarships Awards).[8] He graduated in 2009 with the feature film Desire Street.[9]

From 2008 his films join the festival circuit and achieve some awards. This films where created with his usual collaborator, Roberto F. Canuto. They meet as they study the same Master in Los Angeles. His two graduation projects became the most notorious films, Mei Mei (Year One graduation) and the feature Desire Street, co-directed with Roberto F. Canuto (Master graduation). Desire Street receives awards at "Asturian Film Festival 2014 " and a Special Mention for Best International Feature Film at "Mix Mexico International Film Festival 2011", together with other nominations and special screenings. During the postproduction of “Mei Mei” the director starts the collaboration with the composer that will became part of the team and signature of his work since then, Andrea Centazzo, Italy's top orchestral percussionist and a reference in the Avand Garde contemporary music.[10] Andrea Centazzo composed the scores for all his movies since then: Mei Mei (2009), Toto Forever (2010), Desire Street (2011) and Ni Jing: Thou Shalt Not Steal (2013).[11]

Back in China, Xu Xiaoxi and Roberto F. Canuto founded officially their own production company, Almost Red Productions, where they alternate the fiction narrative projects with commercial/advertisement works. In 2013 they released the Chinese and Spanish production short film Ni Jing: Thou Shalt Not Steal. This film won the Best Film Award (Riverside Saginaw International Film Festival, Michigan, USA), Best Actress Sherry Xia Ruihong and Runner up Short (Asturian Film Festival, Spain), two nominations in the GAVA Awards 2014 as Best Short and Best Screenplay, together with other nominations and international screenings. In addition to the fiction works, Almost Red Productions creates commercials and collaborates with some non profit organizations, like Concentric Circles, company that aim to improve the health system in poor Rural Areas of China.[12]

The directors new project,"Under the Full Moon of Tulula", it will represent a Chinese minority culture in a rural area, the Miao ethnic group, and it will be produced in 2015.[13]

Filmography

Xu Xiaoxi has directed many shorts, but most of his works remain unreleased. Before attend the Master of Fine Arts at NYFA, he direct documentary shorts and experimental works, as the video art The Fluxus of ID, a tribute to Maya Daren. During his masters he directs shorts in 16mm Film, Red One Camera and other Digital format, like Rope, The Meal or Lila and his first year graduation film, Mei Mei. His master’s graduation feature film Desire Street (co-directed with Roberto F. Canuto) was the work that bring more attention, awards and international recognition until 2013, when produced under Almost Red Production in China, also co-directed with Roberto F. Canuto, Ni Jing: Thou Shalt Not Steal. The film attracts media attention, with press interviews and TV coverage. The Chinese premier is schedule for August 2014.

Desire Street (2011)

For detail information, see Desire Street (film).

Desire Street is Xu Xiaoxi and Roberto F. Canuto’s first feature film, produced as a graduation work in their Master of Fine Arts at the NYFA in Hollywood. The story follows three family members (mother, daughter and son) as they try to survive their loneliness and obsessions by going through different sexual experiences and relationships with a prostitute. The reference of the directors was the Mexican melodramas of the 1960s. They exaggerate the representation of the characters to accentuate the irony that is a basic element in the story, creating many situations of comedy. At the end of the story the family became the main reference for the individual survival. The reception at film festivals was very good, scoring positive reviews and awards (Best Film at Asturian Film Festival in Spain and Special Mention Best Feature at Mix Mexico International Film Festival):

The premiere of Desire Street in Spain is scheduled for September 2014. As of August 2014, the producers are in talks to sell distribution rights worldwide.

Ni Jing: Thou Shalt Not Steal (2013)

For detail information, see Ni Jing.

Ni Jing: Thou Shalt Not Steal (Original Chinese: 逆境; pinyin: Ni Jing; literally: "adversity"; Spanish Title Ni Jing: No Robarás) is his first film produced in China by his company Almost Red in co-production with Spain. A naive Chinese girl is forced to confront betrayal after she awakes in a remote forest covered in blood.[17]

“Ni Jing” received some awards: Best Short Film in the World Premier at Riverside Saginaw International Film Festival 2013, Best Actress (Sherry Xia Ruihong), runner up Best Short Film, and a nomination for Best Actor (Yinhui Wan) at the 9th Asturian Film Festival, 2014. The Ni Jing” Spanish premier took place at the prestigious FICXIXON, Gijón International Film Festival in 2013. The critical reactions from the various presentations were very positive:

Ni Jing: Thou Shalt Not Steal is now playing in the International Festival Circuit (as August 2014)

Mei Mei (2009)

For detail information, see Mei Mei.

‘'Mei Mei’’, his first year graduation film at “New York Film Academy”, was written by Xiaoxi and Roberto F. Canuto. The Film premiere at Hungary's Slow International Film Festival, a successor to the 32-year-old prestigious Hungary Film Festival born of the Film Art Initiative. Mei Mei was screened in late August 2009 to an international crowd and was received as one of the festival's finest.[20] After the screening the reactions were very positive, and it was received as one of the festival finest works. Some of the media mention that Mei Mei is a "beautiful and heartbreaking love story".[21] In addition to the festival selection, the film received a nomination for Best Cinematography at the Kodak Scholarship Awards 2009, in representation of NYFA from Universal Studios, Hollywood. The director of photography of Mei Mei was the filmmaker and usual collaborator of Xu, Roberto F. Canuto.

References

  1. ↑ "Xiaoxi Xu Celebrity". movie.douban.com (in Chinese). Retrieved 8 August 2014. 1981-11-18
  2. ↑ Lorenzo, Claudia (June 12, 2011). "Roberto F. Canuto & Xu Xiaoxi Directores de Cine". www.lne.es (in Spanish). La Nueva España Newspaper. Retrieved 8 August 2014. Xu Xiaoxi (Sichuan, China, 1981)
  3. ↑ "China-Spain coproduction wins award at a Festival". danlan.org (in Chinese). Danlan. May 26, 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2014. 1981年11月18日
  4. ↑ "Roberto F. Canuto, director de cine y guionista". Elrollohigienico.com (in Spanish and English). El Rollo Higienico, Revista de Arte y Cultura. September 30, 2010. Retrieved 4 August 2014. Roberto starts his collaborations with Xu Xiaoxi in early 2008.
  5. ↑ King, Dickie (January 2011). "Desire Street (Review)". MTG. Archived from the original on January 2013. Retrieved 4 August 2014. The collaborations of Roberto Canuto and Xu Xiaoxi make them the future wave as these two engaging directors bring together fresh insight with redesigned camera work.
  6. ↑ "Interview of director Xu Xiaoxi & Roberto F. Canuto". http://www.haowenzhang.net (in Chinese). Hao wen zhang. Retrieved 8 August 2014. April 4, 2010 External link in |website= (help)
  7. ↑ King, Dickie (January 2011). "Roberto F. Canuto & Xu Xiaoxi Interview and Bio". MTG. Archived from the original on January 2013. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  8. ↑ "Xiaoxi Xu's "Mei Mei" Accepted To Hungary's Prestigious Slow Film Festival". www.1888pressrelease.com. 1888 Press Release. November 4, 2010. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  9. ↑ "Interview of director Xu Xiaoxi & Roberto F. Canuto". http://www.haowenzhang.net (in Chinese). Hao wen zhang. Retrieved 8 August 2014. April 4, 2010 External link in |website= (help)
  10. ↑ Harris, Craig. "Andrea Centazzo Bio". AllMusic.com. All Music. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  11. ↑ "Interview Roberto F. Canuto & Xu Xiaoxi". www.elrollohigienico.com (in Spanish). El rollo higienico, Revista de Arte y Cultura. October 25, 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2014. Llevamos colaborando con Andrea Centazzo desde 2008 y esta es nuestra cuarta película con él
  12. ↑ "Chengdu & Spain partnership achieve international Awards (成都小伙携手西班牙搭档 方言短片获国际大奖 )". http://sichuandaily.scol.com.cn (in Chinese). Sichuan Daily Newspaper. January 10, 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2014. External link in |website= (help)
  13. ↑ "Chengdu & Spain partnership achieve international Awards (成都小伙携手西班牙搭档 方言短片获国际大奖 )". http://sichuandaily.scol.com.cn (in Chinese). Sichuan Daily Newspaper. January 10, 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2014. External link in |website= (help)
  14. ↑ "'Desire Street', del gijonés Roberto F. Canuto, mención al Mejor Largometraje Internacional en el Mix México". Europa Press. Europa Press. 26 May 2011. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  15. ↑ "Palmares del 9 Festival de cine Asturianu 2014". www.asturias.com (in Spanish). June 15, 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2014. trata con gran maestría técnica y con un buen tratamiento del guion sobre el choque generacional y los conflictos sexuales y familiares de una sociedad multiétnica.
  16. ↑ King, Dickie (January 2011). "Desire Street (Review)". MTG. Archived from the original on January 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  17. ↑ "Entrevista a Roberto F. Canuto & Xu Xiaoxi". http://www.elrollohigienico.com (in Spanish). El Rollo Higiénico. October 25, 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2014. External link in |website= (help)
  18. ↑ Chao, Bin (June 24, 2013). "Ni Jing Press Screening in Chengdu (微电影《逆境》成都试片)". News.ifeng.com. Fenixnet Entertainment. Retrieved 31 July 2014. 该片在成都实景拍摄，对白以四川方言为主。虽然内容十分“接地气”，但这对跨国组合在创作中却非常默契
  19. ↑ "Chengdu & Spain partnership achieve international Awards (成都小伙携手西班牙搭档 方言短片获国际大奖 )". http://sichuandaily.scol.com.cn (in Chinese). Sichuan Daily Newspaper. January 10, 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2014. 《逆境》在成都小酒馆试映，如同悬疑片的节奏让现场影迷眼前一亮。 External link in |website= (help)
  20. ↑ "Xiaoxo Xu's "Mei Mei" Accepted To Hungary's Prestigious Slow Film Festival". http://www.1888pressrelease.com. 1888pressrelease. November 4, 2010. Retrieved 2 August 2014. External link in |website= (help)
  21. ↑ "Mei Mei". lesmedia.blogspot.co.uk. Lesmedia. Retrieved 2 August 2014.

External links

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