Together (2002 film)

Infobox Film
name = Together


image_size =
caption = Promotional poster for "Together"
director = Chen Kaige
producer = Tong Gang
Chen Hong
writer = Chen Kaige
Xue Xiaolu
starring = Tang Yun
Liu Peiqi
Wang Zhiwen
Chen Hong
Chen Kaige
music = Zhao Ling
cinematography = Kim Hyljingkoo
editing = Zhou Ying
distributor =
released =
runtime = 119 min.
country =
language = Chinese (Mandarin)
budget =
website =
amg_id = 1:273382
imdb_id = 0332639

"Together" (zh-cp|c=和你在一起|p=Hé nǐ zài yīqǐ) is a 2002 Chinese drama film directed by Chen Kaige and starring Tang Yun, Liu Peiqi, and Wang Zhiwen. The film premiered on September 10, 2002 at the Toronto International Film Festival, and was commercially released in China ten days later.

Written by Chen Kaige and Xue Xiaolu, the plot revolves around a thirteen-year-old violin prodigy Liu Xiaochun and his father Liu Cheng who move to Beijing from a small southern town. It is Liu Cheng's biggest dream that Xiaochun may find a good teacher in the city and rise to stardom. After studying under two teachers, however, the boy finds that he has learned not just music, but what is really important in life.

Plot

Liu Cheng (Liu Peiqi) is a widowed cook making his living in a small southern town in China. His thirteen-year-old son, Liu Xiaochun (Tang Yun), is a violin prodigy. In the hope that Xiaochun might find success as a violinist, Liu Cheng and Xiaochun travel to Beijing to participate in a competition organized by the Children's Palace, an arts institution for school children. Even though Xiaochun emerges fifth, he is denied admission into the conservatory as he does not have Beijing residency. Determined to realize his hopes for Xiaochun, Liu Cheng persuades Professor Jiang (Wang Zhiwen), a stubborn and proud teacher from the Children's Palace, to take Xiaochun as a private tutorship.

In the subsequent days, Xiaochun makes friends with Lili (Chen Hong), a young and attractive woman living next door. Lili does not have a regular job but lives off the rich men she dates. However, her heart lies with Hui (Cheng Qian), her smooth-talking, cheating boyfriend. After Lili finds out about Hui's affairs, Xiaochun sells his violin to buy a coat she fancies to console her.

Meanwhile, Liu Cheng has learnt about a Professor Yu Shifeng (Chen Kaige), a high-profile professor from the Central Conservatory of Music. Believing that Professor Yu is able to bring Xiaochun to fame and success, Liu Cheng decides to switch teachers for Xiaochun. He pays Professor Yu a visit and confides in the latter the truth about Xiaochun's birth. It turns out that Liu Cheng has never been married. He found the infant Xiaochun abandoned in a train station and a violin was placed next to the baby. Liu Cheng brought both home and raised the baby as his own. Xiaochun turned out to be a child prodigy, and Liu Cheng resolved to devote his life to cultivate his adopted son's talent. Professor Yu, apparently unmoved, nonetheless agrees to give Xiaochun an audition.

However, Liu Cheng arrives at Professor Yu's home with Xiaochun only to find the violin case empty. Xiaochun, angry at his father for choosing commercial success over music, refuses to play even when offered another violin. Liu Cheng is so enraged that upon returning home, he tears up the award certificates that Xiaochun won in previous competitions. On the other hand, the guilty Lili looks up Professor Yu and persuades him to give Xiaochun a second chance. This time Xiaochun finally complies and Professor agrees to take him without hesitation.

Professor Yu has another talented young student, Lin Yu (Zhang Jing), a jealous and highly ambitious girl. When a selection trial for an international competition is coming up, Lin Yu and Xiaochun are in a contest for the only spot. Liu Cheng decides to pack up and return home first, both to allow Xiaochun full concentration and to raise some money should Xiaochun be selected to participate in the international competition. In an effort to infuse passion and emotion into Xiaochun's playing, Professor Yu tells the boy the truth about his birth. However, this only strengthens Xiaochun's love for his father. Just before the selection trial, Xiaochun, who has been chosen to participate, relinquishes his spot to Lin Yu and runs after his father. The two finally reunite at the train station. In the face of fame and success, Xiaochun chooses to be together with his father.

Cast

* Tang Yun as Liu Xiaochun, a thirteen-year-old violin child prodigy. Tang, a young violinist in real life, was found by director Chen Kaige at a violin competition in Shenyang.
* Liu Peiqi as Liu Cheng, Xiaochun's father, a cook from a small southern town.
* Chen Hong as Lili, a young attractive woman who lives off the men she dates.
* Wang Zhiwen as Professor Jiang, a poor but proud teacher from the Children's Palace. [In the dialogue, Jiang is only referred to as "Teacher Jiang". However, in the English subtitles the title Professor is used.]
* Chen Kaige as Professor Yu Shifeng, a high-profile professor in the Central Conservatory of Music.
* Cheng Qian as Hui, Lili's smooth-talking, cheating boyfriend
* Zhang Jing as Lin Yu, a young and talented student of Yu's.

Production

Director Chen Kaige told "Asian Week" in an interview that he first got the idea for "Together" after watching a TV documentary on a father and his musical prodigy child from the provinces. Chen said he was struck by the father and son's aspirations of upward mobility that would never have existed in China before the economic reforms. This phenomenon of a "new Cultural Revolution" reminded Chen of his experience during the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s, when he was forced to denounce his own father, Chen Huaikai, a filmmaker who was labelled counterrevolutionary. Those sad memories prompted Chen to want to "make a very happy film", in Chen's words, because "being Chinese isn't all misery and very dark moments".Chun, K. [http://news.asianweek.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=078ee8cbf037990b930053d510a60588 "'Together' in Harmony"] , "Asian Week", 2003-05-30. Retrieved on 2007-04-13.]

Awards and nominations

* San Sebastian International Film Festival, 2002
** Best Director (Silver Seashell) — Chen Kaige
** Best Actor (Silver Seashell) — Liu Peiqi
* Golden Rooster Awards, 2002
** Best Director — Chen Kaige (in conjunction with Yang Yazhou for "Pretty Big Feet")
** Best Supporting Actor — Wang Zhiwen
** Best Editing — Zhou Ying
** Best Film (nominated)
** Best Actor (nominated) — Liu Peiqi
* Huabiao Awards, 2003
** Outstanding Actor — Liu Peiqi
* Florida Film Festival, 2003
** Best International Feature Film
* Hong Kong Film Awards, 2004
** Best Asian Film (nominated)

DVD release

"Together" was released on DVD on November 18, 2003 and distributed by MGM in the United States. The DVD release features subtitles in English.

Notes

External links

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