Cyclo

Director & Writer: Trann Anh Hung

Synopsis:
Cyclo is French Vietnamese production directed by Trann Anh Hung a French of Vietnamese ancestry. 
It is a story of a poor family consisting of two sisters, a brother and a grandfather. Brother who is in his early 20s pedals a cyclo ferrying passengers in Ho Chi Minh city. Elder sister who must be of same age studies and does odd jobs. Younger sister is in a school and to support family shines shoes on streets. Grandfather works in a tire repair shop despite his failing health. Though poor they live a peaceful and honest life. At one instance the brother suggests his grandpa to leave tire repair job and do an easy job of weighing people's weight using a scale that they found by mistake. But grandpa refuses saying it is not theirs and they shouldn't use it.
One day the cyclo of the brother is stolen and is beaten by a gang. He visits his lady employer, she hands him over to her right hand man who is also a poet. He detains him in a room and involves him forcibly to do illegal jobs. 
The elder sister also comes under the influence of the poet and becomes a prostitute. 
In the end lady employer loses her retarded son in an accident. Poet commits suicide by burning down his house. The lady employer releases brother from the gang and returns his cyclo. The siblings go back to their peaceful life.

Takeaway
The film shows how poor get exploited and are sucked into the world of crime and prostitution.
In one of the scene film shows a developed complex with facilities like Tennis court, swimming pool and luxurious flats and when the camera pans out of the complex we see poor people in their shanties.
When brother goes to apply for a loan for poor under a government scheme we see loads of files in the background indicating number of people in need of it. 
Then there is a scene when brother goes to deliver a drug consignment hidden in the pork meat and police stops him. At that time a riot breaks out and approaching truck bangs a man on street who falls on the cyclo of the brother carrying drugs. The blood of the man flows on the pork meat.

This was my first Vietnamese film and was pretty impressed with it. It has minimal dialogues. Even if one watches the film without subtitles it won't be difficult to understand the film.

Recommended.

Thank you for smoking

Film: Thank you for smoking

Director: Jason Reitman

Writers: Jason Reitman (screenplay), Christopher Buckley(novel)

Would you work for an organization which is responsible for killing 6 million people every year?  Imagine if you had to... and not just to work for it but also to promote the cause of the activity which will make the people die. That might make your job even tougher. But it is not the same case with the character in the film played by ‘Aaron Eckhart’ in this movie. He is paid to ‘Talk’. He is proud of the fact that he lobbies for an organization which deals into ‘Tobacco’. The obsession, which kills 1200 American citizens every day.

 His argument with different characters in the movie ranging from 7 year old kids to the judges in the court is a ‘Treat’ to watch. The movie shows how marketing plays a vital role for any product to be sold. The ‘Cool’ factor brought in by the Hollywood stars or the Marlboro man in the ads is enough for the people following them to try smoking and that’s what the movie shows.

The movie also shows the dirty games played by the media guys to tarnish the image of any common man. Aaron too falls prey to this but manages to come out clean.

Selling is an art. We have to sell ourselves everyday in the corporate world to achieve something. This may be in terms of selling your ideas or your work or your attitude. We consciously or unconsciously do it every day. Not everyone manages to do it perfectly. But those who manage to do it move up very quickly in the hierarchy charts.

The character in the movie shows that in order to sell a product you have to believe in it. Aaron’s belief in his product drives him passionately to convince any person that he meets that ‘Smoking is OK’ and makes him say’ Thank you for Smoking’.

Supermen of Malegaon

Director: Faiza Ahmed Khan

                                                                    

Everyone has a dream but how many follow it. Many of us live with a hope that someday time would be favorable and we will have enough courage to renounce everything and follow our dream. We wait for that day forever. Some are lucky enough to see an end to their waiting period and some die waiting for it. 

Nasir Shaikh from Malegaon doesn't belong to any above mentioned category. He is one such man who devoid of any film making infrastructure, actors, finance, or any other possible means that is required to make a film, has set out on a journey to fulfill his dream of being a film maker. He is the true alchemist who really believes that realizing one's destiny is the only real obligation. He has made a spoofs on every Bollywood / Hollywood blockbuster right from Sholay to Superman.

Malegaon a small town in Maharashtra with mostly Muslim population, is famous for power looms, communal riots and film spoofs. Power loom is the backbone of the Malegaon economy but frequent power cuts has broken the back. Workers at the looms hardly make a living. In such a scenario these film spoofs destress the people and makes them laugh making them forget how they will survive next day.

The documentary chronicles how Nasir Shaikh in such a town plans and executes his dream. How he shoots his film in a meager budget , his logic behind casting a skinny superman, the way scenes of flying superman are shot is nothing but hilarious.

These people from Malegaon inspire us to act on our dreams rather than waiting for the right moment and enough means at our disposal. As there is no so called right timing, and whatever you have won't be enough at any given time. So just start the journey carve your own way, one day you will reach your destination.

Persepolis

Director : Marjane Satrapi & Vincent Paronnaud
Writer: based on graphic novel Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

Would you like to live in a country where government dictates what you speak, what you wear, how you wear it, what you watch, what you read, who you go out with, etc etc.
You live a choreographed life and if you dare break the rhythm you are labeled as outlaw and the one against the god.

The film is based on graphic novel Persepolis a semi autobiographical account of the writer. The film acquaints us with two different Irans. One before the 1979 revolution and one after. Before the revolution Iran was a country devoid of any kind of censorship. People enjoyed alcohol at parties, discussed politics, condemned bad policies, etc. It was a country like any other. But after the revolution Iran was declared as Islamic theocratic country. Censor and moral policing prevailed. It is a compulsion for a woman to wear hizab, all rights are suppressed, relation between unmarried couple is always under scrutiny, etc etc. You encounter policing in all walks of life. It is like living in a Big Boss' house where every move is taped and scrutinised.

In such a scenario Marji the protagonist of the film who is outspoken, flamboyant and fearless feels suffocated. Her parents send her to Vienna but she finds it difficult to gel and relate to the people. Eventually she comes back, studies in Persian university and gets married. In one incident before marriage she is caught by the police holding hand with her husband. Family has to bribe the policeman so the two can escape lashes. Eventually the marriage ends in divorce and Marji leaves Iran permanently.

The word Iran means 'Land of Aryans'. We were taught in school that we are of Aryan race. So is the Iran our root? 
Iran is a beautiful country with a rich history and has one of the largest oil reserves. But for last three decades in the name of the Islam people are being oppressed. By doing so rulers are actually making people to hate religion than making them love it. Religion is a personal issue and the government or anyone else can't force us to follow something just because they think that action will please god.

Recommended.

October Sky

Director: Joe Johnston
Writer: Based on Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam

Some movies are supposed to be viewed and forgotten. Some movies force you to ponder. But there are some movies that leave you inspired and charged. And everytime you revisit the movie in your thoughts they gnaw at you asking you have you fufilled your desire? Have you achieved your dreams? You want to become the character in the movie, the protagonist who goes through all the ups and downs and emerges a victor in the end. An ordinary human being whose limits of endurance were tested, but who persevered and finally achieved what he had set to. 

October Sky is one such movie. A 1999 American biographical film based on the true story of of Homer Hickam, a coal miner's son who was inspired by the launch of Sputnik 1 to take up rocketry against his father's wishes, and who eventually became a NASA engineer. 

Directed by Joe Johnston, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper and Laura Dern this movie leaves you with an inspiring message: yes, you too can become what you had wished to. No matter how many odds you face, persevere and you will soon realise your dream. There are many a brilliant scenes in this movie, but the most heart touching, according to me, is the one in which Homer having accidentally started a forest fire and charged is bailed out by his father, and he has to return being a coal digger, just like every one else in the town. As the elevator moves down the coal mine, Homer looks up and he sees the dawn sky through the elevator gates. Sky is where Homer wishes to reach, but the hands of fate are pushing him down in the dark and cold coal trenches. But Homer doesn't give up. He keeps looking for that one opportunity to realise his dream, even if that means going against the orders of his stern father and he finally achieves his dream. He becomes a NASA engineer helping other astronauts find their place in the sky. 

The movie is replete with such inspiring scenes. A must watch, especially when you feel like there is no hope.

Contributed by: Ritesh Gupta

Matrubhoomi

Director and Writer : Manish Jha

What if women goes extinct? What will happen to our society? 

Matrubhoomi is set in a village somewhere in rural Bihar where there are no females. Boys and men in the village are desperate. Men try to satisfy their urge through watching porn and mujra performed by males wearing sarees. And if the quench still persists then cows at home are not spared. Remember cows are considered to be holy and motherly in Hindu religion. 

In such a time a wealthy father finds a bride for his 5 unmarried sons. He pays hefty amount as a dowry to bride's father. At night sons start to bicker about how to take turns. Week has seven days and they are 5. At that time their father starts cribbing that he is the one who paid such a huge sum and they are not thinking of him. Thus, father spends the first night with the bride. The girl becomes nothing but a sex toy in hands of these males. Girl finds solace in the arms of the younger son who is loving and caring towards her. 

But soon youngest son is killed by his jealous brothers. Girl makes an attempt to run away but gets caught. She is kept in shackles in cowshed and raped brutally every night not only by the family but the entire village. 

The girl eventually becomes pregnant and gives birth to a girl child while men fight for the right over the girl and her newly born daughter.

India have lost millions of daughters to female feoticide. Everyone believes that it is only practised in villages which is far from truth. Cities like Mumbai and Delhi have high rates of selective sex abortion. There are clinics which determine sex of the baby for few thousand rupees. Many such clinics where raided and shut down in Mumbai but still the practice continues.

Few years back there were reports that states like Punjab and Haryana already facing a grim situation and families there buy girls as bride from poor families from different states. 

The high growth of crimes against women is nothing but a sign where we are getting towards. It is an indication of days to come in future. 

In fact, I don't understand how the women of the house let such things happen in their household. I remember one incident that had happened with one of my friend when she was traveling in a metro in Delhi. She was traveling in ladies compartment and some boys got into it. She confronted them asking to get down, but the ladies in the compartment scolded saying "why are you making an issue? They haven't touched you."

Women in India needs to change. First of all they should be financial independent and stop giving importance to marriage. Woman doesn't need a man to survive. 

If your husband asks for sex selective abortion divorce him and report him to the police. If you have a son not only teach him to respect women but also encourage him thrash someone who doesn't respect.

MUST WATCH.

To buy dvd click http://www.flipkart.com/matrubhoomi-national-without-women/p/itmdkwggbfbdepcg?pid=AVMDKWDDU8MZZGQF&otracker=from-search&srno=t_1&query=matrubhoomi&ref=6ebb9f37-d3e3-4f10-bfac-17b73d807d75

Irreversible

Director & Writer: Gaspar Noe

I saw this movie few years and was literally shocked after watching the rape scene. The scene fills  you with anger and disgust. 
In the scene rapist pins the victim to the floor and rapes her. After the act he doesn't stop he hits her, kicks her and slams her head to the cement floor until she stops moving.
This animalistic character instills one with so much rage that it feels like hitting him with iron rod until he dies.
The reason i remembered this movie because of the gruesome incidents of gang rape happening in metro cities like Mumbai and Delhi. 
I just don't understand what pleasure do these people derive from such an act. After hearing such news it makes a Mumbaikar like me edgy and vulnerable when out with wife, friend or  a sister even 10 at night.
Few years back I used to proudly proclaim that woman alone can travel in trains and buses of Mumbai even after 11pm;Not so anymore.

Train of Life

Dir & writer: Radu Mihaileanu

A fool in a village narrates the story of his village where they plan to escape the Nazis Jews by building a train which will take them to Palestine. The villagers who can speak German will act as Nazi officers. On the way to Palestine they face many difficulties and they find simple and comic solution to every problem. 
In the end movie shows that the fool is narrating this story to his friends in a concentration camp.

There are so many holocaust movies that documents atrocities Jews had to undergo. Train of life doesn't take that route.
Jews were the marwaris of the west. They are smart, intelligent businessmen. Jews are the ones who introduced the concept of bank. Their intelligence has been always been the case of envy. If we see history many rulers had a problem with them. Hitler was extreme, he killed millions of them. WWII lead to the formation of Israel, the country of and for Jews. But this land was taken by force from Palestinians and we still witness the killings.
This holy land has been witnessing bloodshed for centuries now.

Lost in Beijing

Director: Li Yu
Writer: Fang Li, Li Yu

On one side we have a rich childless middle aged couple (Lin Dong & Wang) and on the other young poor couple (Liu & An Kun). Despite of having all wealth there is no happiness in the rich couple's life. They have drawn apart and are part of loveless marriage. Lin Dong searches for love and affection in prostitutes.Liu works in Lin's massage parlor.

One day Liu highly intoxicated enters Lin's room in the parlor and imagining him has An Kun forces herself on to him. Lin at first hesitates but then gets into act. In the middle Liu realises her mistake and starts withdrawing but Lin now excited forces himself into her. This entire act is witnessed by An Kun who is a window cleaner and coincidentally he is cleaning the office's window at that time.

Liu gets pregnant. The question arises who is the father. Lin Dong strucks a deal with An Kun that if it is his child he will pay 1 lakh dollars and will adopt the child. 

Child is born, but it turns out An Kun's. An Kun bribes the doctor and gets the report manipulated and shows it has Lin's child. An Kun gets the money and Lin the child.

An Kun after few days realises his mistake and confesses it to Liu and wants the child back.

In the end Liu disgusted with the behaviour of the men and the way she is treated as non entity, takes the child and money and runs away.

The movie highlights the stark difference in equality of wealth in a big city like Beijing. And how we when opportunity comes knowing stoop low just to gain some money. That's the reality in the big city. Shanties on one side and sky scrapers on other.

Recommended.

Black Friday

Movie :Black Friday

Director:

 Anurag Kashyap

Writers:

 Anurag Kashyap (screenplay), Hussain Zaidi (book)

I accidentally happened to watch this movie over a weekend. Initially I thought that the movie had no differentiating factor and might be same like other movies on ‘Terrorism’. But the kind of detailing of the characters, sequence of events and the way the 93 case progressed is shown makes this film stands out from the rest of the lot.

Everybody knows who the mastermind behind the 93 blasts in Mumbai was, but very few knew the nature in which the whole operation was executed and the key personnel who gave it a final shape.  As the whole story gets revealed, one we will understand that the reason behind the attacks were more personal but had to be given a religious angle to it. Had Tiger Memon’s office would not have got burnt then perhaps the blast would never have happened. In the end it was the relatives of the people who were accused and the policemen, who had to suffer throughout the interrogations.

Two decades on and the case is still running in the supreme court making it one of the longest running case in the history of India as the two main accused – Dawood Ibrahim and Tiger Memon are still not arrested or tried. It would have been interesting to see how ‘Sanjay Dutt’ got involved in the whole scene but more or else the movie covers all the characters who were the partner in the crime.

‘Shivsena Bhavan ko uda dete hai – Pura Marathwada khatam ho jayega’ is what BadshahKhan says in the movie to one of the accomplice making it clear that the conspirators also wanted to take a revenge against Thackeray’s aggressive stand on muslims during the riots.

Did Allah favour the Muslims or the Hindus? Is what Rakesh Maria discuss with Badshah Khan during the interrogations.Since people lie Dawood and Tiger are still moving around freely every Indian must be thinking on the same lines on whether the  Allah favoured  Hindus or Muslims ?

Good Bye Lenin

Director: Wolfgang Becker
Writer: Wolfgang Becker, Bernd Lichtenberg

Christiane lives in East Berlin and is an ardent supporter of the communist government. Her husband fled to West long time back. She has two grown up kids Alex and Ariane. In October 1989 she sees her son in a demonstration against the government, she has a heart attack and goes into coma. 
Berlin wall falls. East Berlin changes very fast. Coke and Burger changes everyone's life. Few months after the fall of the wall Christiane comes out of coma but mentally and physically weak. Doctor warns that any kind of shock may prove fatal. So her son conceals the news of the fall from her mother. He starts recreating old days for her. He creates fake news, get friends to celebrate East German holidays for his mother, gives bizzare explanation when his mom sees Coke hoarding being installed, etc.

The film highlights stark difference between two ideologies. The film doesn't take any side but remains neutral highlighting pros and cons of both the ideologies. 

Highly recommended.

Madras Cafe

Director: Shoojit Sircar
Writer: Somnath Dey, Shubendhu Bhattacharya

 

On 22nd May 1991, early in the morning I woke up by the sound of TV. News were on, Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated. Following days the newspaper and magazines were full off stories and gory pictures of the assassination. That was the first time I heard about Prabhakaran.

Madras Cafe focuses on the India's forgotten Sri Lankan chapter that lead to assassination. Due to unrest in the Island Indian PM decides to intervene and sends peace keeping forces to Lanka and orders to disarm Prabhakaran (Bhaskaran in movie) at any cost. India fails, PM has to resign. 
After few months elections are announced and it is clear that ex-PM will come back to power. Bhaskaran aware of threat, plans to terminate the ex-PM. Vikram an intelligence officer who unearths this conspiracy tries to save ex-PM but in vain.

Madras Cafe is a movie Indians are not used to. A political thriller, realistic, songless, no love angle, no melodrama, intelligent, super fast. It has all ingredients that will make sure that it won't reach the magical heavenly 100 crore mark.
It was sad to see 75% of the theater empty. If we had Salman or Sharukh I am sure there would have been 2-3 songs with a Lankan heroine and hero with his arms stretched standing on a Lankan mountain which would have looked like Switzerland. Not only that hero would have convinced Bhaskaran to surrender and the assassination would have been thwarted.
God knows when we will start appreciating good films and stop watching the same masala brainless so called entertainers.

It is good to see such a movie coming out of India. 

Green zone

Director:  Paul Greengrass
Writers: Brian Helgeland, Rajiv Chandrasekaran (book)

The diplomatic policies of the 21^th century’s super power – USA , are beyond the understanding of any common man and this common man can be a US citizen as well. Based on the novel written by Rajiv Chandrasekaran ‘Green zone’ gives an insight on the ‘WMD’ card on which the US played to destroy the regime of ‘Saddam Hussein’. There was no clear way to validate US claim of the possession of WMD by Iraq and so the basic rationale behind of the war was itself not clear. Even the US army in this case was misled and were given a task in which they just had to fool around.

When you can’t convince a person, confuse him. US, in the case of Iraq had no real reason behind the war but somehow had to misled the world by giving the excuse of ‘WMD’.Media played a crucial role in showcasing an information which in fact doesn’t exist. Dependence on the initial source of information led to a substantial minority of Americans exhibiting false memory that WMD were indeed discovered, while they were not. Fox - One of the prime media channels in USA was so much successful in this case that almost 1/3^rd of the Americans believed that WMD had been found in Iraq.

Media source	Respondents believing evidence of WMD had been found in Iraq
Fox	33%
CBS	23%
NBC	20%
CNN	20%
ABC	19%
Print media	17%
PBS–NPR	11%

Based on a series of polls taken from June–September 2003

By meeting a set of people who had the real clues and facts available with them ,The character in the movie – Miller, slowly gets to the root cause behind the whole drama. In the final scene, the camera pans out from Miller's convoy showing an oil facility to the right, suggesting the real reason of the war.

Unfortunately this movie was a flop at the box office but was successful in giving a gist of the whole ‘WMD’ debacle.

Into the Wild

Director:

Sean Penn

Writers:

 Sean Penn (screenplay), Jon Krakauer (book)

“‎There comes a time in your life when you have to let go of all the pointless drama and the people who create it and surround yourself with people who make you laugh so hard that you forget the bad and focus solely on the good. After all life is too short to be anything but happy.”

- Karl Marx 

In 1992 , Twenty four years Chritopher Mccandles (alias Alexander Supetramp) body was found in Alaska.He died of starvation and weighed only 30kg when dead.

How many times have you felt of running out of life ? hoping to live simply for a time in solitude. 

How many times have you felt of abandoning all your material belongings and just exploring a new world. 

How many times have you felt of not following the rules set by the society and doing something which your heart says ?

It's difficult to imagine a 22 year old guy's mind filled with such kind of thoughts. An age when every youngster dreams of having a kick-ass career,fast life,lots of money and n number of things which will keep him/her happy and comfortable.But Christopher preferred to abandon everything and explore Alaska , all on his own.He was done with the ways in which this 'Society'works.So he donates all his savings to charity,abandons his car midway , thinks of a pseudo name so that the FBI doesn't get hold of him and moves ahead towards his journey of 'Alaska' to acquire the state of 'Eternal Bliss'.Unfortunately his journey was shortlived as he by accident eats a poisonous plant. 

The movie got a brilliant support in the form of the soundtracks and songs composed by 'Eddie Vedder' . Emile Hirsch also justified the role of 'Christopher' and was fully immersed in it. 

Must watch ...

East West (1999)

Dir: Regis Wargnier
Writer: Rustam Ibragimbekov, Sergei Bodrov, Regis Wargnier
Language: French, Russian

After WWII Stalin invited Russians from all across the world to come back home to rebuild Russia. One such doctor Alexi Golovin with his French wife Marie and son Sergey comes back to Russia with a hope of bright future. But as soon as they arrive they are shocked to see many of their travelling companions executed or sent to Gulag. Alexei being a Doctor is sent to Keiv. To save wife and son Alexei agrees to be paraded as model returnee. They get one small room to live without basic facilities. Marie's frustration grows and she plans to escape but Alexei refuses to be part of it and discourages her. They start to grow apart. Marie then meets Sasha a 17 year old boy who is a swimmer. They build friendship. Sasha is suppose to take part in a competition in Vienna. Marie and Sasha plan that Sasha once in Vienna will defect to West. Their plan fails as he is dropped from the team and is sent to training camp to Black Sea. Sasha, however, refuses to give up and swims 19 km to Turkish freighter. Marie is accused as the mastermind behind the escape and is sent to Gulag. After few years Alexei manages to overturn Marie's conviction. Marie now has given up all hope of returning to France. After two years while visiting Bulgaria on official visit Alexei tells Marie that Gabrielle (French actress who earlier attempts to help Marie) is waiting for her at hotel lobby. She will take Marie and Sergey to French embassy. Marie pleads Alexei to join them but he refuses saying he is Soviet citizen and Embassy will not protect him. 

The film was nominated for Best Foreign language film at Academy and Golden Globes.

What is Dr.Schultz's story?

After watching Django Unchained the only thing I was wondering was, who is this Dr.Schultz ? What made him leave his medical profession to be a bounty hunter? Why he is so sympathatic towards slaves? Where is his family?

It is one of the most bizarre characters I have seen. Puzzling, enigmatic but likeable.
He is just in his behavior. He treats everyone as equal. He treats you the way you treat him. Bullet for a bullet, friend to a friend. He doesn't think much killing a man when he is with his kid. He justifies it saying, he killed many innocent people, robbed banks so why bother.

He is calculative, meticulous planner and a good strategist. He knows that he is smart and witty and it is difficult to beat him. So when Calvin Candy beats him in his game it hurts him. He not only loses 12000 dollars but also his life but not before shooting Calvin Candy.

Room 237

Director: Rodney Ascher

Did director wanted to suggest us something through shining ?

The documentary analyses the film and the possible hidden meanings that the director Stanley Kubrick might be trying to hint towards. The documentary consists of interviews of fans who associate the film with genocide of Red Indians, holocaust and US' claim of landing on the moon.

Genocide of Red Indians
When the hotel manager takes Jack and his family on tour of the hotel he tells them that hotel was built on the graveyard used by Red Indians. 
There are many such references in the film that can be associated to genocide.

Holocaust
Jack's German typewriter 'Adler Eagle' , a certain music piece which is said to be Anti-nazi and many other such references. And most important Kubrick was a Jew.

Apollo 11 moon landing
When Danny is playing with his toys in one of the room a ball comes rolling towards him, seeing the ball he is terrified and stands up. When he stands up we see him wearing a sweater with a rocket on it. Also, the carpet in the same scene has a design which is said to be resembling the layout of the site from where Apollo 11 was launched.
Believers in moon landing conspiracy believes that the shots of Armstrong walking on the moon was directed by Kubrick. 

I am not sure if Stanley Kubrick was really thinking of all these things while making a movie or it was just a coincidence. I don't see any reason why he should suggest anything on holocaust or genocide of Red Indians indirectly. Apollo 11, yes, if the theory is true than it is obvious he can't speak about it openly. So my take is if Kubrick indeed wanted to suggest us something it would have been Apollo 11.

Gael Garcia Bernal

Gael Garcia Barnel is a  Mexican actor / director whoat a very young age has feature in many prominent films as lead. He started his career at the age of 22 debuting with Amores Perros. He has started in films critical acclaimed films like

Y tu mama tambien

The Motorcycle Diaries

Fidel

Bad Education

Babel

Even the Rain

No 

El crimen del Padre Amaro

He also directed a film Deficit in 2007. He has played Che Guvera twice (Fidel, The Motorcycle Diaries).

To Live

Director – Zhang Yimou

Written by - Lu Wei

I had never heard of this film or of this director before. It is after watching Memoirs of Geisha I searched for Gong Li and her filmography, I came across this film. I read on Wikipedia that it was banned in Mainland China, and that increased my curiosity. I searched for it on youtube and luckily I got the film with English subtitles.

The story starts in 1940s just before the Chinese civil war. The story depicts the struggle of Fugui’s family after he loses his wealth in gambling. Fugui soon realizes losing wealth was blessing in disguise as after the war ‘People’s government ‘ takes away all the wealth from the rich and whoever refused is either imprisoned or shot. The film covers 3 decades and gives a glimpse of Chinese government policies and how it affects a family like Fugui’s. These historical references in the film must have angered the government eventually banning of the film in China.

The film won Grand Jury Prize at Cannes Film Festival in 1994.