Life Show
Encyclopedia
Life Show is a 2002 Chinese film
directed by Huo Jianqi
. A drama, Life Show tells the story of a restaurant owner, played by Tao Hong, whose busy life dealing with family and business is nevertheless a lonely one. Her life takes a turn, however, when one of her long-time customers, played by Tao Zeru, shows a romantic interest in her. The film was a co-production between the China Film Group
and the Beijing Film Studio. It was based on a novel by Chi Li
and was adapted by Si Wu.
Life Show won the Golden Goblet at the 2002 Shanghai International Film Festival
, as well as awards for best actress and best cinematography. It received a North American premiere at the Montreal World Film Festival
on August 28, 2002.
). Though Shuangyang keeps her cool, her life is filled with complications. Her brother drug-addicted Jiujiu has been committed to a sanitarium Her assistant, Mei, who has fallen in love with Jiujiu, attempts suicide. Her sister in law, Xiaojin, always leaves Shuangyang's nephew for Shuangyang to take care of. At the same time, Shuangyang is trying to regain her family's home, which was given to a neighbor during the Cultural Revolution
. Perhaps worst of all, Shuangyang is at risk of losing her restaurant.
Into this morass, Shuangyang starts to notice one of her customers, Zhou Xiongzhou, a middle-aged businessman who has been frequenting her restaurant for a year. Despite concerns, she decides to take the risk with Xiongzhou and the two begin an unassuming romance.
Cinema of China
The Chinese-language cinema has three distinct historical threads: Cinema of Hong Kong, Cinema of China, and Cinema of Taiwan. Since 1949 the cinema of mainland China has operated under restrictions imposed by the Communist Party of China's State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television and...
directed by Huo Jianqi
Huo Jianqi
Huo Jianqi is a Chinese film director. Like the cinematographer turned director Gu Changwei, Huo Jianqi began his cinematic career in the art department...
. A drama, Life Show tells the story of a restaurant owner, played by Tao Hong, whose busy life dealing with family and business is nevertheless a lonely one. Her life takes a turn, however, when one of her long-time customers, played by Tao Zeru, shows a romantic interest in her. The film was a co-production between the China Film Group
China Film Group
China Film Group Corporation , abbreviated as CFGC, is the largest and most influential state-run film enterprise in China.-History:The predecessor China Film Corporation was established in 1949...
and the Beijing Film Studio. It was based on a novel by Chi Li
Chi Li
Chi Li , born in Xiantao, Hubei Province of China, is a contemporary female Chinese writer. She graduated from department of Chinese literature at Wuhan University in 1986....
and was adapted by Si Wu.
Life Show won the Golden Goblet at the 2002 Shanghai International Film Festival
Shanghai International Film Festival
The Shanghai International Film Festival , abbreviated SIFF, is one of the largest film festivals in East Asia.Along with Tokyo International Film Festival, the SIFF is one of the biggest film festivals in Asia. The first festival was held from October 7 to 14, 1993, and was held biennially until...
, as well as awards for best actress and best cinematography. It received a North American premiere at the Montreal World Film Festival
Montreal World Film Festival
The Montreal World Film Festival , founded in 1977, is one of Canada's oldest international film festivals and the only competitive film festival in North America accredited by the FIAPF...
on August 28, 2002.
Plot
Life Show follows a woman, Lai Shuangyang (Tao Hong), who operates a duck neck stall in night market in an unnamed city in central China (the film was shot in ChongqingChongqing
Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
). Though Shuangyang keeps her cool, her life is filled with complications. Her brother drug-addicted Jiujiu has been committed to a sanitarium Her assistant, Mei, who has fallen in love with Jiujiu, attempts suicide. Her sister in law, Xiaojin, always leaves Shuangyang's nephew for Shuangyang to take care of. At the same time, Shuangyang is trying to regain her family's home, which was given to a neighbor during the Cultural Revolution
Cultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
. Perhaps worst of all, Shuangyang is at risk of losing her restaurant.
Into this morass, Shuangyang starts to notice one of her customers, Zhou Xiongzhou, a middle-aged businessman who has been frequenting her restaurant for a year. Despite concerns, she decides to take the risk with Xiongzhou and the two begin an unassuming romance.
Cast
- Tao Hong as Lai Shuangyang, the owner of a small restaurant on a night marketNight marketNight markets or night bazaars are street markets which operate at night and are generally dedicated to more leisurely strolling, shopping, and eating than more businesslike day markets.-Geographical spread:...
street specializing in the central Chinese specialty of duck necks. - Yang Yi as Mei, Lai Shuangyang's assistant, who is in love with Shuangyang's younger brother, Jiujiu.
- Tao Zeru as Zhuo Xiongzhou, a middle aged customer at Lai Shuangyang's restaurant who begins to show a romantic interest in Shuangyang.
- Pan Yueming as Xiaojin, the wife of Shuangyang's older brother, Shuangyuan.
- Luo Deyuan as Zhang, a local bureaucrat that deals with Shuangyang in her efforts to regain the home of her family that was lost during the Cultural RevolutionCultural RevolutionThe Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
.
DVD release
Life Show was released for North American markets on region 1 DVD by Razor Digital Entertainment on October 11, 2005. The DVD included subtitles for English, as well as both simplified and traditional Chinese characters.External links
- Life Show at the Chinese Movie Database