Chinese cinema: Breaking the Silence

Islamabad

Director: Zhou Sun

Screenplay: Zhou Sub, Shao Xioli, Liui Heng

Cast: Gong Li, Gao Xin

Lok Virsa Film Club Mandwa pays tribute to Chinese cinema with the screening of prestigious film ‘Breaking the Silence’ on Saturday (January 28), at 3 p.m.

Chinese films today are part of many contemporary and current elements: cinematic and artistic visions, freedom of expression, commercial concerns, and above all, politics. To know about current Chinese cinema, one must know about Chinese society in 2017. That may be true in almost all countries but more obvious in China.

There are over 41,000 screens in China (new screens and multiplexes are being added at the rate of 22 new screens per day). Half of the cinema tickets are being sold online.

Taiwanese-American director Ang Lee's martial art bonanza Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon won Oscar for Best Foreign Film and played well at the box office worldwide. More fame came with film Hero. Today Chinese cinema leads and could be world leader in number of screens and box office receipts(thanks to its population of over 1.2 billion and increasing number of young film enthusiasts).

Film Breaking the Silence was Chinese submission to Academy Awards (Oscar) for Best Foreign Film. The film won acclaim at prestigious Berlin International Film Festival. Gang Li, the leading lady of the film won Best Actress Award at Montreal World Film Festival. Gang Li is now better known as screen goddess in China. She came to world prominence through working with director Zhang Yimou. She is credited to introduce Chinese cinema to European and American film audiences. Her screen feats include ‘Red Sorghum’, ‘Raise the Red Lantern’, ‘The Story of Qui Ju’, ‘Farewell my Concubine’, ‘Memories of Geisha’ and ‘Curse of the Golden Flower’.

Breaking the Silence is a moving and touching portrayal of constant struggle against the uphill battle. This is the story of a single unemployed mother of a child with special needs. She must make it in life. Glamour and gloss are pre-requisites in the film world more than anywhere but Gong Li did not wear any make up to bring conviction to her difficult role. You see her crying, you see her laughing, you see her as victim of circumstances for which she is not responsible. You see her being exploited by beasts called men. Director Zhou Sun has given a harsh look to the film not just with the heroine without make up but filming on streets, characters wearing ordinary clothes, real houses, schools and shops with the realism of a documentary film. ‘Breaking the Silence’ is account of a mother who wants better future for her offspring. It is all about how to endure through life when the going gets rough. This is a perfect film for all those of us who ignore parenthood to further our careers.

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