One Second (Zhang Yimou)

[Cremildo]

Plot: A movie fan in a remote farmland strikes a relationship with a homeless female vagabond. Set during China’s 1966-76 Cultural Revolution under Mao Zedong.

Director: Zhang Yimou (Raise the Red Lantern, Hero)

Writers: Zhang Yimou, Zou Jingzhi

Cast: Fan Wei, Zhang Yi

[Himmel]

This was to appear at Berlin festival, but was pulled cause it wasn't finished yet.

Variety

[Cremildo]

Originally Posted by Himmel

This was to appear at Berlin festival, but was pulled cause it wasn't finished yet.

Variety

Yep, but there might be more to it than that:

Banned in Berlin: Why China Said No Go to Zhang Yimou

Other reasons are political. Responsibility for the entertainment sector in China shifted last year from the State Council to direct control by the Communist Party’s Propaganda Department. That has meant a tightening of ideological oversight.

Presenting his own potentially inflammatory film depicting rioting, corruption and murder, director Lou Ye revealed that getting “The Shadow Play” approved had taken two years of negotiation with censors. The film plays in Berlin’s Panorama section.

In the past, both Zhang and Lou have been considered by authorities as troublemakers. Zhang, who was sent for re-education during the Cultural Revolution, saw his 1994 epic “To Live” banned in China, despite winning awards in Cannes that year.

[Himmel]

Originally Posted by Cremildo

Yep, but there might be more to it than that:

Banned in Berlin: Why China Said No Go to Zhang Yimou

Wow.

[Mr. Chaverria]

Zhang has an interesting relationship there. It's amazing he hasn't been nixed there cuz of the trouble he causes.

[GRD43L]

I guess that's what happens when someone's 'feelings' are more important than capturing history accurately.

Or maybe the movie was pulled in the interest in protecting 'national security' or preserving 'national dignity'. They're all delusional false fronts communist party wants to project.

Are they really thinking, 'No one inside/outside China will know the truth if we pull/ban this movie. Such an awesomely intelligent strategy!'?

[Cremildo]

[Mr. Chaverria]

I do worry for this guy. I don't understand how China still hasn't stopped him. He's a rather rebellious guy who at the same time makes stuff under their level of tastes too. At some point, he's not worth it I'd feel for China. Maybe I just don't know how it works.

Such a polarizing director w/ art vs government censorship type of history.

[Cremildo]

Yimou's still uncertain about the fate of the film.

Asked about its fate, Zhang said, “I’m still not sure. I hope it can be seen by everyone as soon as possible.”

[JEDGAR1000]

Really hope this'll get released, there's far too few movies covering Zedong's reign.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by GRD43L

I guess that's what happens when someone's 'feelings' are more important than capturing history accurately.

Or maybe the movie was pulled in the interest in protecting 'national security' or preserving 'national dignity'. They're all delusional false fronts communist party wants to project.

Are they really thinking, 'No one inside/outside China will know the truth if we pull/ban this movie. Such an awesomely intelligent strategy!'?

I really hope the Mods don't consider this a political post ...

*sigh*

The problem isn't "feelings" or any of the other things (all valid criticisms of what Chinese artists need to deal with, btw), the problem is the First Amendment.

China, like essentially the entire world other than the US (in theory; but there are constraints here, as well), doesn't have it. OK. But the difficulty arises because in China, like in essentially most of the world, citizens are granted only a very limited amount of freedoms. That limit ranges from "Lots" to "Very Few" of course. China's on one particular end of that scale, obviously -- but no one can do anything about it. Between their massive population, huge economy, and very powerful military, really: what's anyone going to do about it?

So, the government can keep a very tight grip on their society -- something all governments would LIKE to do, but almost none can -- and we can only watch. And geniuses like Zhang can only wonder when and if people will see his work, and whether he'll just vanish one day.

[Cremildo]

The film has been cleared by Chinese censors and will be released before the end of the year. Runtime: 104 minutes. (source)

[pikeman1]

trailer
release Nov 27 in Chinese theaters

https://youtu.be/gGfhCyVJVB0

[Cremildo]

Neon Buys U.S. Rights.

[Cremildo]

It'll close TIFF.

[Himmel]

Variety Review: "Despite censorship, Zhang Yimou's tale of the power of cinema has a gorgeous eye, a droll sense of humor and a big, full celluloid heart. "

[Cremildo]

Poll added.