42年25000场电影，这位乡村放映员还收获了一份爱情 | A life with movies

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In the 1970s, watching movies was one of the few sources of entertainment in China. The minute the simple screen was set up, people gathered around waiting for the film projectionist to turn on the two-hour magical journey of the motion pictures.

七十年代，电影是中国社会中少有的娱乐活动之一。简陋的银幕在空地上支起，放映员打开放映机，人们便聚集过来，享受两个小时魔法般的光影时刻。

In 1976, Xiao Jinsheng became a 17-year-old intern at the Movie Management Station of Tianzhu County, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province. It was the beginning of his lifetime career as a projectionist. His job was to operate the movie projector in the villages in the mountains.

1976年， 17岁的肖锦生到贵州省黔东南苗族侗族自治州天柱县电影管理站实习。这开启了他的电影放映生涯。他最主要的工作，是翻山越岭，到山中小村放映电影。

"It was the most fashionable job at that time," Xiao laughed. "Young people loved going to the movies. Especially girls."

“这是当时最时髦的工作。”肖锦生笑道，“年轻人都特别喜欢过来看电影，尤其姑娘们。”

Xiao met his wife during one of the film projections in 1982. "There was a beautiful girl named Wang who lived near the site," said Xiao. "I deliberately asked her to be the ticket seller. And I often helped her sell tickets. When she was absent, I would visit her at her home." Finally, they fell in love and got married.

1982年，在放电影的时候，他邂逅了自己的妻子。“那时候放电影附近有个姓王的人家，有一个姑娘长得很好看。”肖锦生说，“当时我为了接触她，就请她来售票。她来售票，我就去帮她；她不来，我就找理由去她家里见她。”不久，两人就谈起了恋爱，之后结婚。

Because of the popularity, they would run the projection system almost in all weathers. "On rainy nights, we wouldn't start until 8, sometimes 9, or even 10 pm," said Xiao. "We wouldn't leave or the folks would be very disappointed."

因为太受欢迎，不管刮风下雨，电影都得放。“8点天还没有晴我们就等到9点，9点不行等到10点。”肖锦生说，“因为当时老百姓很难得看一次电影。”

Xiao is 59 years old. In the past 42 years, he took part in 25,000 film projections in 136 villages, traveling about 380,000 kilometers. 

今年，肖锦生已经59岁。42年来，他累计放映25000余场，走遍了周边136个村寨，行程近38万公里。

The roads in the mountains were rugged and slippery. Carrying the 25 kg projector and the 150 kg generator plus film copies, Xiao and his colleagues often tumbled walking in the evening. "It was pretty tough," he said. "We would attach straws to our shoes to make them anti-skid."

山路很不好走，而且他们的工作时间常常在晚上。挑着50多斤的胶片放映机，300来斤的发电机和电影拷贝，肖锦生和同事们时常在路上滑倒。“我们那时候下乡确实很艰苦，”他说，“遇到路滑我们都是用稻草把鞋子捆起来，可以防滑。”

His favorite collection is an old-fashion 16 mm film projector of the brand Changjiang, which he used in the 1970s. The machine is kept in good condition and still operable. Some people made offers, but Xiao would never sell it, as it carries the memories of those respectable projectionists.

他依然珍藏着一台70年代使用的老式16毫米长江牌胶片电影放映机。这台机器保存良好，仍可使用。曾经有人想买，被他婉拒，因为这台机器承载着他自己和老一辈电影放映员的回忆。

Xiao uses digital projectors now. And he carries the machines on motorcycle and truck, instead of carrying it on shoulders.

现在肖锦生下乡都带数字放映机。他运送放映机的方式，也从手挑肩扛变成了摩托车和卡车。

Since the 1990s, television has become a household appliance, which significantly affected the film projection business. However, for people who live in remote rural areas, the outdoor screening is still like a source of happiness.

虽然90年代以来，闭路电视已经普及，电影放映事业受到很大冲击。但对远离大众文化的偏远农家而言，这块露天银幕依旧是快乐的源泉。

As the projection team arrives, children would gather in seconds and run joyfully behind the truck. All the families would bring their stools and sit in front of the screen. The festive atmosphere is overwhelming: "People love to come to the plaza and enjoy the cool air. The seniors have small talks while the children chase around. Everybody is happy."

放映的车一出现，小朋友们呼啦一下全都围过来，手舞足蹈地跟着车走。家家户户都拿出凳子，聚集到银幕前。这种过节一样的体验和在家里自己看电影大为不同：“大家一出来，聚集在广场上，热天可以乘凉。老人聊点家常，小娃娃打打闹闹，觉得很高兴。”

When the movie ends, many villagers would invite Xiao to have dinner at their homes. Sometimes Xiao would translate the dialogues for the Dong people who don't speak Mandarin.

放完电影，总有人争着请肖锦生回家吃饭。有的侗族乡亲不懂汉语。遇到对话多的故事片，肖锦生还会一边放一边给观众翻译。

"The projections have become part of my life," said Xiao. "The movie makes them happy, and I feel like getting another A on my report card." 

 “放电影早已是我生活的一部分。”肖锦生说，“放一场电影老百姓高兴，我的心情就像在小学读书得了一百分的那种感觉一样。”

Cameraman: Lu Xuebing

Film editor: Zhou Xin, Ma Mingyuan

Story written by: Zhu Siqi

English editor: Nadeem Gill

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