24/38
A Chinese woman lives for herself in silence, celebrating the prosperous Belle Époque with songs and dances. The heroine does not have a single line of dialogue throughout the film. What I like about Jia Zhangke is that his works on Chinese cinema are very interesting and so different from other Chinese filmmakers. In many ways, he uses strange approaches to digital camera, approaches to themes, music, characters and setting. This film feels like a statement of his career, both documentary and fiction, it is a fascinating experience. Using archival footage and mixing both non-linear fiction and non-fiction, Zhangke presents a melancholic and avant-garde narrative and atmosphere that is full of wonderful presentations and themes explored. Presenting characters, performances, music and dialogues that seem realistic and almost as if you are observing the daily life of an individual and the nature of human beings. Zhao Tao continues to shine with her natural acting and language in every scene she appears in, the soundtrack choices are interesting and the whole fiction vs non-fiction storyline, while it will put off many viewers, I found it interesting and a great story experience. I don’t suggest this movie as a first movie for Jia Zhangke to watch, but I say it’s amazing.