advertisement
Nix the Netflix, turn off your torrents, ditch the DVDs and go and watch a film in a theater for Pete's sake! The Beijing cinema scene is alive and well, as our column Sino Silver Screen proves. All of the films below will be screened with English subtitles.
Coming-of-age film Better Days has proven a surprise hit since its release in cinemas late last month, taking over RMB 700 million at the box office in its first four days. The film, directed by Hong Kong's Kwok Cheung-tsang (Lover's Discourse, Soul Mate), centers around Chen Nian, a high school student under investigation for her suspected role in murdering a classmate. The film has been lauded for its bold, unflinching portrayal of school bullying, as well as the immense pressures that students face while preparing for the gaokao, sparking a renewed discussion about juvenile delinquency and its aggravators in China. Various prices, times, and locations (tickets available on 猫眼 and 淘票票)
Three Colors Trilogy 蓝红白三部曲 (1993-1994)Here's a '90s throwback that cinephiles can really get excited about. Krzysztof Kieślowski's Three Colors trilogy is considered a masterpiece of filmmaking, and among the late Polish director's greatest works. Named Blue, White, and Red – an allusion to the colors of the French flag – the films are also loosely based on the three fundamental political ideals of the French Republic: liberty, equality, and fraternity. The three films have been described as "a blistering study of grief," "a ticklish dark comedy about the economic inequality between East and West Europe," and "a story of jealousy and betrayal," respectively. RMB 60. Blue (Nov 15, 1pm), White (Nov 16, 1pm), Red (Nov 16, 3.15pm). China Film Archive (Xiaoxitian Branch)The Lehman Trilogy 雷曼兄弟三部曲 (2019)Words you don't see together often: a 232-minute blockbuster three-act play. But indeed, The Lehman Trilogy, the work of Italian dramatist Stefano Massini has played to sold-out theaters since it's release in the States. This screening is actually a filmed adaptation of the play, not a traditional film in itself, and tells the story of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.. Once the fourth-largest investment bank in the United States, the corporate giant filed for bankruptcy in 2008 following its perceived role in the global financial crisis. New York Times critic Ben Brantley described the production as "a ticket worth cashing in your gilt-edged securities for. Behold it with wonder, humble theatergoer." That's good enough for us. RMB 120. Nov 16, 6pm. China Film Archive (Xiaoxitian Branch)
Photo: Douban, Broadway.com