90% of the actors in the film are relatives of the director. After a wave of "tiger" operations, they actually made a domestic film with conscience

丨This article was first published in Pippi Movie

Pippi Movie/ Recommendation of a wonderful movie every day

In the recent Douban movie reputation list, there is such a This video caught Pi Ge's attention.

It is the only domestic film on the list, but it also seems to be the most "inconspicuous" film.

There is no dazzling star cast, and most of the actors are amateurs with no acting experience. 90% of them are the directors who hired their own relatives to participate.

There was no strong production team. During the filming process, the film was almost interrupted several times due to lack of funds.

But such a seemingly unknown film has shone in major film festivals at home and abroad.

At the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, "Spring Water", which was the closing film of the "Film Critics Week Unit", received unanimous praise from those present after the screening.

As the unit judge and artistic director, Charles Tyzonn even praised the film, calling it a "Chinese film you have never seen before."

At the Xining First Film Festival a few months later, "Spring River Water Warm" won two heavyweight awards for Best Film and Best Director, once again proving its east-west cultural charm.

What is so unique about this film that makes major film festivals so fond of it?

Looking at the resume of director Gu Xiaogang, Pi Ge was surprised to find that before filming "Spring River Plumbing", Gu Xiaogang had only filmed one documentary.

According to the director himself, Chinese landscape paintings gave him direct creative inspiration for the film, both in terms of external form and internal expression.

The "scattered perspective" painting method, the "vivid" expression, and various characteristics of Chinese paintings are all cleverly integrated by the director into this typical Chinese family story.

The film kicks off at the 70th birthday party of the old lady of the Gu family. In a lively and festive atmosphere, the old lady suddenly suffered a stroke and was rushed to the hospital.

Although the old lady was discharged from the hospital after treatment, her symptoms of dementia became more and more serious and she found it difficult to take care of herself.

The originally peaceful life was broken by this accident, and the old lady's four sons had to face such a difficult reality, that is, the issue of support for their mother.

The eldest brother and his wife run a restaurant. The business is quite prosperous and the living conditions are the best among the four brothers.

But while dealing with busy business and taking care of the elderly, leaving all the burdens to the eldest family is unjustifiable both emotionally and rationally.

The second child, who makes a living by fishing, can only live a decent life. Besides, he and his wife have to save enough savings for their son Yangyang's wedding house.

Nowadays, due to house demolition, their family of three are temporarily living on a fishing boat. It is not realistic to bring the old mother to live on the boat.

The third child’s situation is the most troublesome. He owes a lot of debt, his wife ran away, and he also left behind a son with Down syndrome.

Not only does he have to avoid debts, but he also has to take care of his son's daily life. How can the distressed third child shoulder the heavy responsibility of taking care of his old mother.

The fourth child is not a person worthy of trust. As the "youngest child" in the family, he has grown up under careful protection since he was a child. He does not understand what responsibility and responsibility are at all.

Now over thirty, I am still immersed in my own world and do whatever I want, like an immature child.

In the real predicament, the old mother became a "hot potato". Although the four sons had the intention to fulfill their filial piety, they were constrained by real difficulties and found it difficult to fulfill their duties.

Due to such an unpredictable accident, the Chinese family concept has suffered a violent "impact" with the rapid changes of the times.

For example, the old saying "Raise children to prepare for old age" is so bitter in the context of this film.

Because of their mother's support issues, the brothers had a lot of troubles. In the end, sending their mother to a nursing home seemed to be the "best choice" they had to make.

Another example is "the orders of the parents, the words of the matchmaker", which has been the "golden rule" followed by many families since ancient times, but now, under the erosion of the times, it is no longer regarded as a creed.

The eldest daughter Gu Xi was unwilling to follow her parents' arrangements, but came together with Jiang Yi, an English teacher who had the same ambition.

The eldest daughter-in-law forced her daughter to break up in a semi-threatening tone. Gu Xi was uncompromising and tried her best to defend the love she cherished.

The director used the "scattered perspective" technique of Chinese painting to paint a contemporary version of "Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains" that is full of life through the interrelated life experiences of the four brothers of the Gu family.

The most amazing thing is that the director boldly absorbed the aesthetic style of Chinese landscape painting in form, and tried to convey the "vivid charm" pursued by Chinese painting into the film image through long shots with strong national charm. .

When it comes to long shots, there are generally two forms of presentation in movies.

One is to enhance the drama and sense of presence. For example, in "1917", which was released in China this year, the long shot of "one shot to the end" follows the protagonist through various life and death tests, allowing the audience to have an immersive feeling. Immersion.

The other is to capture the real flow of time and experience the various flavors of life through a calm, onlooker lens.

Hou Hsiao-hsien is a representative of this style. For example, "Flowers of Shanghai", which is set in old Shanghai at the end of the 19th century, is composed of more than 40 long shots.

In these antique long shots, we see the joys and sorrows of these women, and the undercurrent of emotion amid the ecstasy.

From this aspect, "Spring River Water Warm" is undoubtedly deeply influenced by Hou Hsiao-hsien, and the director himself has made no secret of his admiration for Hou.

Just like the opening of the old lady’s birthday party, many people immediately thought of "Flowers of the Sea".

In the same dim light and in an uninterrupted long shot, the camera lingers among the various characters at the banquet, presenting a very vivid portrait of the characters.

Careful viewers will find that most of the long shots in the film move from left to right, and the people and scenery are integrated, like a slowly unfolding scroll painting.

For example, in the film, the lovers Gu Xi and Jiang Yi are walking on the river embankment. The camera seems to be far away from them, following their figures quietly, taking in the beautiful scenery of the river bank.

By borrowing scenery to express emotions and empathizing with the scenery, we can feel the long-lasting flavor of life in the changing time of the four seasons.

At the end of the film, the old mother's old illness relapsed, but she still could not wait until spring came, and passed away quietly at the end of winter.

Birth, old age, illness, death, and the cycle of seasons are the normal rhythms of life. The director has done a good job in exploring and experimenting with traditional aesthetic styles, and wrapped them in philosophical thinking about life.

For a new director, it is amazing enough to be able to produce a work to this extent.

But we can also see that although the film has received numerous praises, many people do not buy it.

In the two-and-a-half-hour film, there are no twists and turns in the plot and no well-known actors. Especially since it is labeled as an "art film", many people are put off by "Spring River Plumbing".

For a long time, people have always been biased against artistic films. Some people even question whether art films that contribute little to the box office still have the meaning of existence.

In Pi Ge’s view, as an important part of the development of film art, art films are absolutely indispensable.

Most of the master directors who are famous in film history at all times and at home and abroad have a background in art film creation, and they have infiltrated unique and charming artistic features into their works.

And we must not forget that the reason why Chinese films shined so brightly in the world of cinema in the 1980s was due to the fifth-generation directors’ dedicated exploration of art films.

But in today's market environment, art films can easily be drowned in the hustle and bustle of chasing fame and fortune, failing to gain the favor of investors and the recognition of the mass market.

Just like "Spring River Plumbing", if it weren't for the director's persistence and using loan money to complete the filming, this work would have fallen by the wayside, let alone the honors at the film festival.

We should be thankful that in this impetuous commercial era, there are still people who can insist on independent artistic style, so that Chinese movies will not be buried in the same commercial blockbusters.

Text/Pippi Film Editorial Department: Azhi

Please do not reproduce in any form without authorization