Peacock (2005 film)

Infobox Chinese Film
name = Peacock


image_size =
caption = Promotional poster for "Peacock"
director = Gu Changwei
producer = Dong Ping
Er Yong
Gu Changwei
writer = Li Qiang
narrator =
starring = Zhang Jingchu
Feng Li
Lu Yulai
music = Dou Peng
cinematography = Yang Shu
editing = Sha Liu
Tao Yan
distributor = Asian Union Film
released = Berlin
18 February, 2005
China:
18 February, 2005
runtime = 144 minutes
country = People's Republic of China
language = Mandarin
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id = 1:323328
imdb_id = 0445506
jianti = 孔雀
fanti = 孔雀
pinyin = kǒng què

"Peacock" (zh-cp|c=孔雀|p=kǒng què) is a 2005 film directed by Gu Changwei, written by Li Qiang. This is Gu's first film as director after a lengthy career as a cinematographer for some of China's top directors. The film premiered simultaneously in both China, and in competition at the 2005 Berlin International Film Festival, and went on to receive Berlin's Jury Grand Prix Silver Bear. [cite web|url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117918249.html?categoryid=1886&cs=1|title= 'Carmen' cops gold| author=Meza, Ed| publisher= "Variety" | date=2005-02-21| accessdate=2008-05-31]

Original runtime was over four hours, but was reduced to 144 minutes for theatrical release.

Synopsis

The story is set in the 1970s in a small town in China. A middle aged couple has three children. The eldest son is obese and mentally challenged, therefore he is outcast and teased by others. The second child is an outgoing and energetic daughter, who is not afraid of doing anything to pursue her dreams or to survive. The youngest child is a shy and quiet boy who is ashamed by his older brother and tries to break away from the misery in his family. Breaking into three sections focusing on each of these siblings, the film allows us to look into the lives of ordinary Chinese people in the 70s.

Cast

*Zhang Jingchu as Gao Weihong, sister; a young woman who wishes to join the local paratrooper unit of the People's Liberation Army.
*Feng Li as Gao Weiguo, elder brother.
*Lu Yulai as Gao Weigiang, younger brother.
*Huang Meiying as mother of the Gao family.
*Zhao Yiwei as father of the Gao family.
*Liu Lei as Guo Zi
*Wang Lan as Jin Zhi, the wife of Weiguo in an arranged marriage.
*Yu Xiaowei as Paratrooper, a soldier who lands one day in a field near the Gao family's home.
*Shi Junhui as Xiaowang, the driver for a local official who married Weihong.
*An Jing as Zhang Lina, a singer and wife of the youngest sibling, Weigiang
*Liu Guonan as Zhang Xi
*Wang Yingjie as Godfather, an accordion player who strikes up a friendship with Weihong.
*Zong Ping as a teacher
*Yang Meng as Tao Meiling
*Gu Changwei as a blind man

References

External links

*
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* [http://www.berlinale.de/en/archiv/jahresarchive/2005/02_programm_2005/02_Filmdatenblatt_2005_20050003.php "Peacock"] at the 2006 Berlin International Film Festival
* [http://www.dianying.com/en/title/kq-2004 "Peacock"] at the Chinese Movie Database