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An old eccentric at death's door
By Xu Wenwen |
December 2, 2009, Wednesday
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Print Edition
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TELLING the life story of an old man who lives in a mortuary has won praise for two young documentary film makers who are studying in Hangzhou.
The 29-minute film, "Settled," tells the story of changing China by focusing on the story of 83-year-old Zheng Jinkang who lives in a discarded mortuary attached to a home for the elderly in Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province. The director even moved in with the old gentlemen and became like a grandson.
The staff of the senior home was shocked and tried to stop the film, but failed when authorities intervened on the side of the film makers.
The film by two 21-year-old university seniors Shan Zuolong (director) and Yao Yingjing (assistant) was among the 107 films from 34 countries and regions recently screened at the International Film Festival Hannover that promotes young directors. Around 2,950 films were submitted.
"Settled," shown at the 12th Auburn International Film Festival for Children and Young Adults, won an award of excellence for "DocuChina" film maker in Shanghai and an award of excellence in production by the Southern Pocket Film Festival of China.
The pair won 35,800 yuan (US$5,244) for "DocuChina" and used the funds to reedit the film into the version that won international praise.
Shan and Yao were studying broadcast journalism at Zhejiang University of Technology in Hangzhou.
Shan directed "Settled" and Yao assisted. They shot 1,000 minutes of raw film.
Shan's original idea was to shoot a documentary about people in their last days in a home for the aged in Huzhou. Then he learned that an eccentric old man called Zheng Jinkang was living in the mortuary, and after meeting him he decided to focus on Zheng's life story.
"So do not sit by idly, for young men will grow old in regret" - goes a lyrical poem "Man Jiang Hong" written by Song Dynasty (AD 960-1279) general Yue Fei, a national hero.
The film begins with Zheng, who is a hunchback, singing the poem and dancing a clumsy waltz.
Zheng was born in 1927 into a millionaire's family in Shanghai. He had it all (except for the hunchback) - money, education and charm and he lived the high life, going to casinos, horse races and ballrooms.
From the 1950s, however, he was drawn into political movements, persecuted and thrown in prison.
His parents spent everything buying his freedom, to no avail. When he was finally released, they had died, the family was bankrupt and his own life was a wreck.
Still, he started his own business and twice came close to becoming a rich man, but went bankrupt.
He had no money, so he moved into a home for the elderly in the small town of Huzhou. He chose the mortuary section because only people at the bottom of society lived and worked there. He had no reputation left to ruin.
Documentarians need to get close to their subject and the two young film makers listened for hours to Zheng; their conversation is part of the film.
Kind-hearted Zheng did not refuse Shan's request to talk about his life. Shan moved into the mortuary for a month up to the Chinese Lunar New Year and even cooked for the old man. People took him for Zheng's grandson.
Shan's respect and kindness touched Zheng and the old man asked him to write his will.
Shan quotes Japanese documentarian Ogawa Shinsuke as saying, "Shooting a documentary is shooting the relations between people."
"At first I didn't understand as I thought it could be objective," says Shan. "But after filming 'Settled,' I came to appreciate it. The relationship between me and the old man is continuously evolving and deepening. This makes us as familiar as relatives, so any scene can happen."
"Settled" is not Shan's first production, "Hongqiao Lane" shot in his sophomore year received a Selected Work Award at the Tokyo Video Film Festival this year. The film captured the daily lives of ordinary people living in the old lanes of Huzhou, the city where Zheng lives.
Shan has been enrolled in Tongji University for postgraduate study in film and television.
"To shoot a documentary brings me a lot. Flying to different countries to attend film festivals lets me meet so many wonderful directors. My biggest fortune is the old man Zheng, who expects me to come back every day.
"Our next plan is to spend a year with him and make a better film."
The 29-minute film, "Settled," tells the story of changing China by focusing on the story of 83-year-old Zheng Jinkang who lives in a discarded mortuary attached to a home for the elderly in Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province. The director even moved in with the old gentlemen and became like a grandson.
The staff of the senior home was shocked and tried to stop the film, but failed when authorities intervened on the side of the film makers.
The film by two 21-year-old university seniors Shan Zuolong (director) and Yao Yingjing (assistant) was among the 107 films from 34 countries and regions recently screened at the International Film Festival Hannover that promotes young directors. Around 2,950 films were submitted.
"Settled," shown at the 12th Auburn International Film Festival for Children and Young Adults, won an award of excellence for "DocuChina" film maker in Shanghai and an award of excellence in production by the Southern Pocket Film Festival of China.
The pair won 35,800 yuan (US$5,244) for "DocuChina" and used the funds to reedit the film into the version that won international praise.
Shan and Yao were studying broadcast journalism at Zhejiang University of Technology in Hangzhou.
Shan directed "Settled" and Yao assisted. They shot 1,000 minutes of raw film.
Shan's original idea was to shoot a documentary about people in their last days in a home for the aged in Huzhou. Then he learned that an eccentric old man called Zheng Jinkang was living in the mortuary, and after meeting him he decided to focus on Zheng's life story.
"So do not sit by idly, for young men will grow old in regret" - goes a lyrical poem "Man Jiang Hong" written by Song Dynasty (AD 960-1279) general Yue Fei, a national hero.
The film begins with Zheng, who is a hunchback, singing the poem and dancing a clumsy waltz.
Zheng was born in 1927 into a millionaire's family in Shanghai. He had it all (except for the hunchback) - money, education and charm and he lived the high life, going to casinos, horse races and ballrooms.
From the 1950s, however, he was drawn into political movements, persecuted and thrown in prison.
His parents spent everything buying his freedom, to no avail. When he was finally released, they had died, the family was bankrupt and his own life was a wreck.
Still, he started his own business and twice came close to becoming a rich man, but went bankrupt.
He had no money, so he moved into a home for the elderly in the small town of Huzhou. He chose the mortuary section because only people at the bottom of society lived and worked there. He had no reputation left to ruin.
Documentarians need to get close to their subject and the two young film makers listened for hours to Zheng; their conversation is part of the film.
Kind-hearted Zheng did not refuse Shan's request to talk about his life. Shan moved into the mortuary for a month up to the Chinese Lunar New Year and even cooked for the old man. People took him for Zheng's grandson.
Shan's respect and kindness touched Zheng and the old man asked him to write his will.
Shan quotes Japanese documentarian Ogawa Shinsuke as saying, "Shooting a documentary is shooting the relations between people."
"At first I didn't understand as I thought it could be objective," says Shan. "But after filming 'Settled,' I came to appreciate it. The relationship between me and the old man is continuously evolving and deepening. This makes us as familiar as relatives, so any scene can happen."
"Settled" is not Shan's first production, "Hongqiao Lane" shot in his sophomore year received a Selected Work Award at the Tokyo Video Film Festival this year. The film captured the daily lives of ordinary people living in the old lanes of Huzhou, the city where Zheng lives.
Shan has been enrolled in Tongji University for postgraduate study in film and television.
"To shoot a documentary brings me a lot. Flying to different countries to attend film festivals lets me meet so many wonderful directors. My biggest fortune is the old man Zheng, who expects me to come back every day.
"Our next plan is to spend a year with him and make a better film."
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