Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl is a 1998

Chinese films of the 1990s

This is a list of films produced in mainland China ordered by year of release in the 1990s. For an alphabetical listing of Chinese films see :Category:Chinese films- 1990 :- 1991 :- 1992 :- 1993 :- 1994 :- 1995 :- 1996 :- 1997 :...

 Chinese film

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 actress Joan Chen

Joan Chen

Joan Chong Chen is a Chinese American actress, film director, screenwriter and film producer. She became famous in China for her performance in the 1979 film Little Flower and came to international attention for her performance in the 1987 Academy Award-winning film The Last Emperor...

 based during the 1970s in People's Republic of China

People's Republic of China

China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...

, during the Cultural Revolution's Down to the Countryside Movement

Down to the Countryside Movement

The Down to the Countryside Movement was a policy instituted in the People's Republic of China in the late 1960s and early 1970s. As a result of the anti-bourgeois thinking prevalent during the Cultural Revolution, Mao Zedong declared certain privileged urban youth would be sent to mountainous...

, instituted by Mao

Mao Zedong

Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...

 for political reasons. This drama film

Drama film

A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...

 is the directorial debut of Chen. The film stars Lu Lu  and Lopsang .

Story

The literal translation of this movie's name is "open-air bath".

Xiu Xiu , a 15-year-old girl living in the city of Chengdu

Chengdu

Chengdu , formerly transliterated Chengtu, is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It holds sub-provincial administrative status...

, moves out to study horses in the countryside from a nomadic Tibetan. She is told that after six months, she will return to take charge of her all-girl cavalry unit. However she quickly discovers that she is not returning. She learns lessons about life while struggling against corrupt government officials who manipulate her hopes and body. Her only friend is the eunuch

Eunuch

A eunuch is a person born male most commonly castrated, typically early enough in his life for this change to have major hormonal consequences...

 horseman, Lao Jin.

Distribution

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).

Awards and nominations

Golden Horse Awards

• 1998: won for Best Director (Joan Chen)
• 1998: won for Best Screenplay Adapted from Another Medium (Joan Chen)
• 1998: won for Best Actress (Lu Lu)
• 1998: won for Best Actor (LupSang)

Berlin International Film Festival

Berlin International Film Festival

The Berlin International Film Festival , also called the Berlinale, is one of the world's leading film festivals and most reputable media events. It is held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in West Berlin in 1951, the festival has been celebrated annually in February since 1978...

• 1998: nominated for the Golden Bear
  Golden Bear
  According to legend, the Golden Bear was a large golden Ursus arctos. Members of the Ursus arctos species can reach masses of . The Grizzly Bear and the Kodiak Bear are North American subspecies of the Brown Bear....
  
  

Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival

• 1998: won the Jury Award

Paris Film Festival

• 1999: won the Special Jury Prize
• 1999: nominated for the Grand Prize
• 1999: won Best Actress (Lu Lu)

Mons International Festival of Love Films

• 1999: won the Grand Prize

National Board of Review

• 1999: won the International Freedom Award

Independent Spirit Awards

Independent Spirit Awards

The Independent Spirit Awards , founded in 1984, are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Winners were typically presented with acrylic glass pyramids containing suspended shoestrings representing the paltry budgets of independent films. In 1986, the event was renamed the Independent Spirit...

• 2000: nominated for Best First Feature Over $500,000 (John Chen, shared with co-producer Alice Chan Wai-Chung)

External links

• Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl at Yahoo! Movies
• Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl at Popmatters review