Sunflower (2005 film)

Infobox_Film
name = Sunflower


image_size =
caption =
director = Zhang Yang
producer = Han Sanping
Peter Loehr
Yang Buting
writer = Cai Shangjun
Huo Xin Zhang Yang
narrator =
starring = Sun Haiying
Joan Chen
Liu Zifeng
Zhang Fan
Gao Ge
Wang Haidi
music = Lin Hai
cinematography = Lin Jong
editing = Yang Hongyu
distributor = United States:
New Yorker Films
International:
Fortissimo Films
released = Toronto:
September 10, 2005
United States:
August 17, 2007
runtime = 129 min.
country = China
language = Mandarin Chinese
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website = http://www.newyorkerfilms.com/nyf/t_elements/sunflower/sunflower1_t.htm
amg_id = 1:337167
imdb_id = 0401808 "Sunflower" (zh-cp|c= 向日葵|p=Xiàng rì kúi) is a 2006 Chinese film directed by Zhang Yang. Zhang's fourth film, "Sunflower" is a joint production of Ming Productions, the Beijing Film Studio (as part of the China Film Corporation's 4th Production Company) and the Hong Kong subsidiary of the Netherlands-based Fortissimo Films. It was distributed by Fortissimo Films (for international sales), and New Yorker Films for its US theatrical distribution.cite web|url=http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117928276.html?categoryId=31&cs=1|title=Sunflower Review|author=Elley, Derek|publisher=Variety|date=2005-09-20|accessdate=2007-10-23]

The film stars Sun Haiying and Joan Chen as a husband and wife, and the actors Zhang Fan, Gao Ge and Wang Haidi as their son over the course of 30 years.

Cast

*Sun Haiying as Zhang Gengnian, a Beijing painter whose spirit is crushed during his time in a labor camp during the Cultural Revolution.
*Joan Chen as Xiuqing, Zhang Gengnian's wife.
*Liu Zifeng as Lao Liu, Zhang Gengnian's best friend and fellow artist.
*Zhang Fan as Zhang Xiangyang, Zhang Gengnian's son as an 8 year old boy.
*Gao Ge as Zhang Xiangyang as a 19 year old man.
*Wang Haidi as Zhang Xiangyang as a 30 year old man.
*Liang Jing as Han Jing, Xiaoyang's wife.
*Hong Yihao as Chicken Droppings, Xiangyang's friend as a 9 year old boy.
*Li Bin as Chicken Droppings as a 19 year old young man.

Plot

The film is split into three main segments spanning thirty years. The first segment, in 1976, begins with the return of an artist, Gengnian to his wife, Xiuqing and son after several years of re-education during the Cultural Revolution. He returns however, with injured hands and can no longer continue as an artist. He instead hopes to cultivate artistic aspirations in his son, Xiangyang, who has taken to hurling stones at strangers with his friend Chicken Droppings. Though he eventually follows in his father's footsteps, Xiangyang resents his father's pressures and the two soon fall out.

The next segments, in 1987 when Xiangyang is a 19 year old, and 1999, when he is in his 30s continue to chart the course of Xiangyang and Gengnian's tense relationship.

Releases

"Sunflower" received its international premiere at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2005.

The film was also shown at several international film festivals.
*2005 Toronto International Film Festival - Contemporary World Cinema September 10, 2005
*2005 Chicago International Film Festival, October 10, 2005cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0401808/releaseinfo|title=Release Dates for Xiang Ri Kui|publisher=Internet Movie Database|accessdate=2007-10-25]
*2005 San Sebastian Film Festival
*2005 Pusan International Film Festival - Window on Asian Cinema
*2006 Hong Kong International Film Festival, [cite web|url=http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/festivals/06/40/hkiff-2006-ben-cho.html|title=When Hou Met Kuriyami: The Hong Kong International Film Festival Turns 30|author=Cho, Ben|publisher=Senses of Cinema|date=May 2006|accessdate=2007-10-25] April 11, 2006
*2006 Bangkok International Film Festival, - Windows on the World, February 19, 2006 [cite web|url=http://www.bangkokfilm.org/2006/en/films/film_detail.aspx?id=F0006|title=Films: Sunflower (xianrikui)|publisher=Bangkokfilm.org| accessdate=2007-10-21]
*2006 Tokyo International Film Festival, July 8, 2006
*2007 Pacific Rim Film Festival, October 10, 2007 [cite web|url=http://www.pacrimfilmfestival.org/schedule2007.html|title=Pacific Rim Film Festival Schedule|publisher= Pacific Rim Film Festival|accessdate=2007-10-21]

"Sunflower" was also given a limited released in New York City on August 17, 2007.cite web|url=http://www.villagevoice.com/film/0733,wallace,77512,20.html|title=Sunflower|author=Wallace, Julia|publisher=The Village Voice|date=2007-08-14|accessdate=2007-10-29] Playing on only one screen, the film has made less than $24,000 dollars in the US as contrasted to over $8 million dollars from foreign releases. [cite web|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=sunflower.htm|title=Sunflower (2007)|publisher=Box Office Mojo|accessdate=2007-10-29]

Reception

"Sunflower" was shown at several international film festivals. It ultimately won the Silver Shell for Best Director and the Jury Award for Best Photography at the San Sebastián International Film Festival in 2006. [cite web|url=http://www.fortissimo.nl/catalogue/publicity.asp?filmID=205|title=Sunflower, Publicity|publisher=Fortissimo Films|accessdate=2007-10-29]

The general consensus, however, was that this was not one of Zhang Yang's stronger works. Though only seen by a handful of critics, the film has garnered only a mediocre 58% "fresh" rating from review database Rotten Tomatoes, with an even lower 42% rating from the "cream of the crop" critics. [cite web|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10005901-sunflower/|title=Sunflower|publisher=Rotten Tomatoes|accessdate=2007-10-29]

References

External links

* [http://www.fortissimo.nl/catalogue/title.asp?filmID=205 "Sunflower"] from international distributor Fortissimo Films
* [http://www.newyorkerfilms.com/nyf/t_elements/sunflower/sunflower1_t.htm "Sunflower"] from US distributor New Yorker Films
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* [http://www.dianying.com/en/title/xrk2005 "Sunflower"] from the Chinese Movie Database