**SPOILERS!!**
Not since Zhang Yimou's 'Not One Less' have I seen another film about the rural folk of China. Li Jixian's Wang Shouxian de xia tiang (Wang Shou Xian's High Sky Summer) tells the story of Wang Shouxian, a 12 year old who has a passion for films. Action films from Hong Kong that has Jackie Chan or Jet Li are his favorites. During one 'high sky summer', Shouxian's village got a visit from a film crew from Beijing. Their intention was to shoot a film there and to find a young boy to play the lead role.
With an opportunity to become a film star at his fingertips, Shouxian manage to convince the directors of his acting talents. The trick? Rubbing hot peppers into his eyes in order to cry during an audition. However, his dreams was dashed when the headmaster of the village school brought up Shouxian's tardiness in class and lessons. Therefore, the role was given to the class monitor, bright and studious Luan Liwei. Shouxian's best friend Xiao Liuzi thinks that Shouxian deserved the role more than Liwei. So, Liuzi distracts Liwei by setting off the cow belonging to Liwei's family, forcing Liwei to go looking for it. In addition, Liuzi also stole the script for Liwei's role. No guessing who got the lead role in the end.
However, as Shouxian's involvement in the film got deeper, he questioned the lead character's preference for the village life rather than the city. This causes a conflict between Shouxian's ideals where he thinks the city life is better than the village. Hence he forgets his lines in his scenes and causes much anger in the director and the assistant director Mr. Liu. The scene was then abandoned and the crew left for other shooting locations. The next morning, Shouxian spotted the light meter left by the crew. With hope he can get redemption by returning the equipment, he sets off looking for them.
I can't help but noticing the parallels of Not One Less and High Sky Summer; the rural village landscapes, the egalitarian village community in modern communist China. Even in the storylines, we have the leads tempted by the urban city life far from that of their rural village. Not One Less has the runaway student, and here we have Shouxian aspiring to be a famous actor in the big city. The underlying motive of both films are also equal; the importance of education. With education, only can those young children look forward to a brighter future. Shaoxian realised this when he had his glimpse of the city and how lost he is; in the films end he began paying attention to his studies and 'yearns' to achieve his dreams.
If you don't mind another 'Not One Less' inspired film, this I recommend for the performances by the non professional leads.
Not since Zhang Yimou's 'Not One Less' have I seen another film about the rural folk of China. Li Jixian's Wang Shouxian de xia tiang (Wang Shou Xian's High Sky Summer) tells the story of Wang Shouxian, a 12 year old who has a passion for films. Action films from Hong Kong that has Jackie Chan or Jet Li are his favorites. During one 'high sky summer', Shouxian's village got a visit from a film crew from Beijing. Their intention was to shoot a film there and to find a young boy to play the lead role.
With an opportunity to become a film star at his fingertips, Shouxian manage to convince the directors of his acting talents. The trick? Rubbing hot peppers into his eyes in order to cry during an audition. However, his dreams was dashed when the headmaster of the village school brought up Shouxian's tardiness in class and lessons. Therefore, the role was given to the class monitor, bright and studious Luan Liwei. Shouxian's best friend Xiao Liuzi thinks that Shouxian deserved the role more than Liwei. So, Liuzi distracts Liwei by setting off the cow belonging to Liwei's family, forcing Liwei to go looking for it. In addition, Liuzi also stole the script for Liwei's role. No guessing who got the lead role in the end.
However, as Shouxian's involvement in the film got deeper, he questioned the lead character's preference for the village life rather than the city. This causes a conflict between Shouxian's ideals where he thinks the city life is better than the village. Hence he forgets his lines in his scenes and causes much anger in the director and the assistant director Mr. Liu. The scene was then abandoned and the crew left for other shooting locations. The next morning, Shouxian spotted the light meter left by the crew. With hope he can get redemption by returning the equipment, he sets off looking for them.
I can't help but noticing the parallels of Not One Less and High Sky Summer; the rural village landscapes, the egalitarian village community in modern communist China. Even in the storylines, we have the leads tempted by the urban city life far from that of their rural village. Not One Less has the runaway student, and here we have Shouxian aspiring to be a famous actor in the big city. The underlying motive of both films are also equal; the importance of education. With education, only can those young children look forward to a brighter future. Shaoxian realised this when he had his glimpse of the city and how lost he is; in the films end he began paying attention to his studies and 'yearns' to achieve his dreams.
If you don't mind another 'Not One Less' inspired film, this I recommend for the performances by the non professional leads.