Sanxia Haoren now has an offical English Title -- Still Life -- and has been released both in the cinemas and on DVD here in China. I cannot recommend this movie strongly enough. Jia Zhangke has succeeded in capturing the complex spirit of present day China in a way that other Chinese directors are no longer even trying to do.
I saw this movie at the Rotterdam Film festival and although I liked it and the camerawork is marvelous I can't agree at all that this is the best Chinese movie ever. I rate Dam Street or Peacock higher.
Personally I think The World was a much better movie, still I recommend people to go and see Still Life, Jia Zhang-Ke is without a doubt one of the most talented directors today.
Well, the Taiwanese and Tibetans I have spoken to do NOT consider themselves part of China, in either sense, especially not the Tibetans who, alas, do not even have the choice to proclaim this openly, whereas the Taiwanese at least have that choice. I know this is a hot potatoe, especially if you are Taiwanese or Tibetan.
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haha, the taiwanese and tibetans you have spoken to are from the west. i bet most of them have no clue what it's like back home.
and btw, not many ppl know that the da lai lama is actually one of the 5 leaders in tibet. so to be honest, there's only 20% or less people wanted independence.
i have been to both places and it's nothing like you see on TV. the local news here are very bias when it comes to issues related to China.
It's not that I got tired of the Taiwan not China thing which is all about their own national identity, but here is obviouly not a good place discussing it, and seems no one took Hou's film for comparison. Dam Street and Peacock r just 2 little films by MAINLAND CHINA directors in recent 2 years
Anyhow it's interesting to know that both Xiaoxian Hou and Edward Yang were born in mainland. Did u also heard that Hou and Jia often get together discussing Chinese cinema?
Well no, that is not completely correct. Hou Hsiao-Hsien was born in Guangdon, China, he has Chinese nationality but moved to Taiwan later on. I agree that his movies are from Taiwan but the fact still remains thats he is Chinese by birth.