Yellow Earth

Just one year after graduated, Chen Kaige recruited Zhang Yimou as the cinematographer on his debut directorial film Yellow Earth . Initially banned on the Mainland, this film raised international attention on the "Fifth Generation" of Chinese filmmakers. It was named "one of the best Chinese Films since 1949" at the Hong Kong International Film Festival and won multiple international awards, including the Silver Leopard Prize at the 38th Locarno International Film Festival. A peasant girl Cuiqiao (Xue Bai) endures a hard life with her father and brother on a remote barren plateau in northern Shaanxi during the anti-Japanese war. Unhappy about her arranged marriage, Cuiqiao can only relieve her melancholy through singing. One day when a communist propaganda unit soldier (Wang Xueqi) visits her home to collect folk songs, he imparts the party's spirit of female liberation that inspires Cuiqiao to join. Although he declines to take her, Cuiqiao ultimately decides to escape after her wedding ceremony by rowing across the Yellow River. The film's minimalist yet powerful visuals have immortalised the tragedies of peasant oppression into the history of film.

Date	Time	Venue
19/11/2016 (Sat)	3:30pm	UA iSQUARE
4/12/2016 (Sun) #	2:00pm	Cinema, Hong Kong Film Archive

# Post-screening talk with Wong Ain-ling

The contents of the programme do not represent the views of the presenter. The presenter reserves the right to change the programme should unavoidable circumstances make it necessary.