A love story between a middle-aged Chinese man and a Vietnamese girl who became mentally retarded after witnessing her father’s killing. The backdrop is the Red River in Yunnan, next to the China-Vietnam border, where frequent cultural and social exchanges have profoundly impacted people from both sides for generations.
Directed by Jiarui Zhang | Starring : Jingchu Zhang, Nick Cheung, Loletta Lee, Danny Lee, Weijia Sun | Presented at Hawaii Film Festival
A-long comes from a long line of dragon dancers and is driven to prove his own worth. A pride to their town of Longphozai, his family has always observed cultural traditions and respected the village leaders—unlike A-long’s childhood sweetheart Fengmei. Wilful and rebellious, Fengmei is determined to be with A-long even if it means flouting the Huayao tradition by joining A-long’s dragon dance team. Her impulsive charisma drives the team into numerous fixes and repeatedly brings the wrath of the village elder down upon a frustrated, confused A-long. But with a major dragon dance competition approaching, can A-long and Fengmei learn to balance their love with their cultural traditions? Or will they be forced to sacrifice one for the other? This lighthearted comedy deftly intertwines traditional Huayao song, dress and dance to illustrate the role of historical tradition in modern young love, and shot with brilliant scenery of China’s countryside.
Directed by Jiarui Zhang | Starring : Jingchu Zhang, Xiaotian Yin, Zheming Cui, Yilin Wang, Jiayi Zhao | Presented at N/A
Chinese Cinema 