[From TIFF '05]

SHANGHAI DREAMS 



Unlike most "Sixth Generation" Chinese filmmakers, Wang Xiaoshuai is a consummate storyteller. His beautifully concocted and paced narratives often contain a classic, timeless quality which is hard to find in the works of his counterparts. Wangs latest, Shanghai Dreams (Qing hong), which is his most personal film to date, sees him continuing down the same path even though at times Wang's narrative introduces certain tragic operatic elements with mixed results.

Shanghai Dreams is set in the early 1980s but it has its roots deeply dissolved in the Chinese Cultural Revolution of the 60s, when Mao initiated major relocation of industries and workers to rural areas in order to form a "third line of defense," primarily for the possibility of war with the strengthening Soviet Union. Wangs parents, much like the ones of the films 19-year-old protagonist Qinghong (Gao Yuanyuan), suffered the same fate. As the film opens in the Guizhou province in southern China, reform is underway and that has led many of the migrants to wish for a return back to the cities. Qinghongs parents, especially her sullen father Wu Zemin (Yan Anlian), are hopeful for Shanghai but since the best years of their lives have now come and gone, they're more concerned about their two children, primarily the older Qinghong. 

While Wang expertly establishes the tense relationship which exists between the father and daughter, his major accomplishment here is that he allows us to see things from both perspectives. Wu might follow Qinghong home everyday from school and generally constrict her burgeoning individuality, but were allowed to conceive his cause also. Wu has endured the kind of hardships that he doesn't want his children to suffer through, so his belief is that the approach is for their benefit, even though he fails to recognize the effect his behavior is having on Qinghong who doesnt quite know where she belongs. Theres a quietly devastating scene between Wu and a local boy who Qinghong cherishes, in which he placidly explains the situation to him. And, ultimately, it's his character, along with that of Qinghong's fiery best friend (Wang Xueyang), who end up seeming more actively conflicted and complex, thus leaving more of a residue, than our one-dimensional protagonist.

Shanghai Dreams is Wangs first "officially approved" film without any cuts. It's handsomely produced and directed -- the lush period detail is beautifully attended to by Wang's skillfully composed and choreographed shots. As one could imagine, the overall tone is quite somber for a narrative whose outline is tragic enough, but it seems like Wang didnt quite trust his material on occasion. There's a false note or two late in the film which could've easily been avoided. While the overall experience remains untarnished, it's disappointing especially considering the fact that Wangs previous effort, Drifters (2003), was so consistently poignant and compelling.

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*SHANGHAI DREAMS premiered at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Jury Prize. (No U.S. distribution at this point.) 

*Available on DVD in the U.K. (Artificial-Eye). (Special features: Theatrical trailer, Filmographies, Production notes.)
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