Drifters (film)

Infobox_Film
name = Drifters

---

image_size =
caption =
director = Wang Xiaoshuai
producer = Peggy Chiao
Yong Ning
Hsu Hsiao-ming
writer = Wang Xiaoshuai
narrator =
starring = Duan Long
Shu Yan
Zhao Yiwei
Tang Yang
Jin Peizhu
music = Wang Feng
cinematography = Wu Di
editing = Liao Ching-song
distributor = United States:
Film Movement
International:
Arc Light Films
released = Cannes:
May 20, 2003
runtime = 120 min.
country = China/Hong Kong
language = Mandarin Chinese
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id = 1:289046
imdb_id = 0379278 "Drifters" (zh-cpl|c=二弟|p=èr dì|l=little brother" or "second little brother) is a 2003 Chinese film directed by Wang Xiaoshuai. The film is a production of Hong Kong's Purple Light Films and People Workshop with international distribution through the Taipei-based company Arc Light Films. "Drifters" premiered in the Cannes Film Festival as part of the Un Certain Regard competition.

"Drifters" follows a young slacker, Hong Yunsheng, who has become something of a local celebrity in part due to his failures as a stowaway. Recently returned to his home in Fujian after several years abroad in the U.S. as an illegal immigrant, Hong attempts to reconnect with an illegitimate son.

Cast

*Duan Long as Hong Yunsheng, the titular drifter in the film. Hong spent several years in the United States as an undocumented immigrant before being deported back to his home in Fujian. He spends his days loafing around his home town.
*Shu Yan as Wu Ruifang, a member of a travelling Shanghai Opera troupe. Hong's love interest.
*Zhao Yiwei
*Tang Yang
*Jin Peizhu

Plot

Hong Yunsheng is a jobless wanderer in Fujian. Attempting to find a better life in the United States, he enters the country as an undocumented worker. While there, however, his American dream quickly falls apart when he and his boss's daughter have a child. Enraged, Hong's boss has him deported back to Fujian.

Back home, Hong again takes up his old habits, wandering around the town, unemployed and listless. At the same time, he attempts to find romance with a traveling opera performer, Wu Ruifang. Eventually he hears that the child he fathered in the United States is coming to Fujian. Desiring to see the child he has never known, Hong and his boss argue until eventually Hong takes desperate measures and kidnaps the boy.

The consequences for Hong, however, are just beginning.

Reception

Unlike Wang's previous film, "Beijing Bicycle", "Drifters" received mixed reviews from western critics. Derek Elley of "Variety" claimed that the film's "potentially involving story is too often chopped off at the knees," and also found the movie's cast to be limited by inexperience.cite web|url=http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117920839.html?categoryid=31&cs=1|title=Drifters Review|author=Elley, Derek|publisher="Variety"|date=2003-05-21|accessdate=2007-10-12] Other critics were even harsher, finding that the film used over-direction to hide a simple and "syrupy" melodrama. [cite web|url=http://www.avclub.com/content/node/41288|title=Drifters|author=Tobias, Scott|publisher="The A.V. Club"|accessdate=2007-10-12|date=2005-10-05] Still others, however, were more positive. Bérénice Reynaud of "Senses of Cinema" found the film to be superior to the "superficial" "Beijing Bicycle", and put "Drifters" in the growing category of "mature, disturbing, thought-provoking masterpieces inspired by globalisation." [cite web|url=http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/festivals/04/30/afi_film_festival.html|title=Report from the AFI Film Festival:Bruno the Dog and Other Dreamers|author=Reynaud, Bérénice| publisher="Senses of Cinema"|accessdate=2007-10-12|date=January, 2004]

Release

Like many of Wang's films, "Drifters" was screened in the Un Certain Regard competition of the Cannes Film Festival on May 20, 2003. In addition to this, the film was screened at ten major film festivals around the world. These included:

*2003 Toronto International Film Festival (Contemporary World Film) [cite web|url=http://www.chinatoday.com.cn/English/e2004/e200405/p50.htm|title="Underground" Movie Directors Emerge|publisher = "China Today" | author=Tang Yuankai|date=May, 2005|accessdate=2007-10-12] , September 5, 2003cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379278/releaseinfo| title=Release Dates for Er Di|publisher=Internet Movie Database|accessdate=2007-10-12]
*2003 Vancouver International Film Festival (official selection), October 2003
*2003 Hawaii International Film Festival (official selection), November 2, 2003
*2003 Nantes Three Continents Festival (official selection), November 25, 2003
*2003 AFI Film Festival (official selection), November 2003
*2003 Thessaloniki International Film Festival (Official Programe) [cite web|url=http://www.filmfestival.gr/2003/uk/special.php|title=OFFICIAL PROGRAMME: 2003: THE LANDMARKS|publisher=Thessaloniki International Film Festival|accessdate=2007-10-12] , November 2003
*2004 Rotterdam International Film Festival (official selection), January 24, 2004
*2004 Seattle International Film Festival (official selection)cite web|url=http://www.filmmovement.com/downloads/press/Drifters_Press_Kit.pdf | title=Drifters_Press_Kit|publisher=Film Movement|accessdate=2007-10-12] , May 31, 2004
*2004 Karlovy Vary Film Festival (official selection), July 7, 2004
*2004 Calgary International Film Festival (official selection), October 2, 2004 [cite web|url=http://www.calgarysun.com/perl-bin/niveau2.cgi?s=films&p=88537.html&a=1|title=Saturday, October 2nd, 2004|publisher="The Calgary Sun" |date=2004-10-02|accessdate=2007-10-12]

DVD release

"Drifters" was released on Region 1 DVD on September 15, 2005 by Film Movement. The DVD was in the original Mandarin with English subtitles. Special features included biographies of the cast and crew, and a short film, "Robot Boy" by Ted Passon. [cite web|url=http://www.filmmovement.com/filmcatalog/index.asp?MerchandiseID=34|title=Drifters|publisher=Film Movement|accessdate=2007-10-12] The disc's aspect ratio was 1.78:1 in letterbox format.

Notes

External links

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* [http://www.filmmovement.com/filmcatalog/index.asp?MerchandiseID=34 "Drifters"] from distributor Film Movement