CDF 2011
Finalist – Features
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One Day in May《五月一天》
Ma Zhandong
China / 2011 / 145min
In Mandarin and Sichuan dialect with Chi & Eng Subtitles
Zhu Xiaorong lost a child in the Sichuan Earthquake in May, 2008. A year went by, from shelters to prefab homes. the family has not had time yet to grief. Much like millions of other quake survivors, what lies beneath people’s seemingly calm exterior are confusion, helplessness, reliance yet also distrust of the government.
Director’s Bio:
Ma Zhandong is an independent documentary filmmaker and graphic designer who has been making documentaries since 2002. He started a studio called “Re-imagine” in 2006 specializing in documentary film production, graphic design and sound and video arts.
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The Transition Period 《書記》
Zhou Hao
China / 2010 / 114min
In Mandarin with Chi & Eng Subtitles
There are about 1,500 counties in China, of which county secretaries are perhaps the hardest working civil servants: attracting investors to boost local economic growth for their own benefits, while resolving and dissolving any conflicts among different stakeholders. A southern county secretary is going to be transferred in three months and dramatic changes occur in his life.
Director’s Bio:
Zhou Hao worked as a photojournalist for Xinhua News Agency and the Southern Weekly magazine. His documentary films including Houjie, Senior Year and Using have been awarded and shown in many film festivals.
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Baseball Boys《野球孩子》
Shen Ko-shang, Liao Ching-yao
Taiwan / 2010 / 82 min
In Mandarin with Chi & Eng Subtitles
An elementary school softball team in the countryside of Hualian has entered the County Tournament finals at last, having been through a series of tough trainings. Win or lose, this will surely be one of the sweetest memories of their childhood.
Directors’ Bio:
Shen Ko-shang’s 16mm thesis film Layover was selected for Cannes International Film Festival in 1999. In 2006 his documentary film The Pigeon Game, specially made for the National Geographic Channel, was aired in more than 160 countries worldwide. Shen is currently working on his first feature film.
Liao Ching-yao graduated in 1999 from the Film Department of National Taiwan University of Arts. In 1999, Liao’s film The Dreamer won Best Creative Short Film Award at the Taipei Golden Horse Award. In 2006, Liao worked as the cinematographer and editor of The Pigeon Game, a documentary commissioned by the National Geographic Channel.
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The Sandstorm Intrusion 《黃沙已上白雲間》
Wang Wenming
China / 2010 / 71 min
In Mandarin with Chi & Eng Subtitles
Villages in Minqin County, Gansu, have become haunted, so to speak, after constant attacks of sandstorm. There are only nine students and a few old people left behind. For the feeble elderly, to stay fighting the sandstorms means nothing more than to sit and wait for death.
Director’s Bio:
Wang Wenming has a degree in Journalism at Lanzhou University. He was engaged in news reporting and documentary filmmaking. He began filming ecological and humanity subjects in Hexi Corridor in 2005. The Sandstorm Intrusion was his first independent documentary.
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Where should I go?《換城》
Li Junhu
China / 2010 / 70 min
In Mandarin with Chi & Eng Subtitles
These are true tales of the peasants: Zhang takes her son with her to work in the city, leaving two daughters behind. Incidentally, the older daughter can’t wait to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Yang buys her children urban residence permits with the compensation for the death of her husband. Schooling in the city turns out to be so expensive that her older daughter has to drop out and earn her own living while Yang continues to work hard to pay for her younger son’s tuition.
Director’s Bio:
Li Junhu studied photography at Xian Academy of Fine Arts. He is currently working for the International Division of Shaanxi TV Station. His works include, Traveling Thousand Li in Search of Mother, City and the 2009 winner of the short film category in this film festival, Brave Father.
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Mirror of Emptiness《無鏡》
Ma Li
China / 2010 / 120 min
In Mandarin and Tibetan with Chi & Eng Subtitles
In Shiqu, the highest northwest county seat in Sichuan Province – stands Se Xu Monastery. Rarely open to the public, its richness in the Tibetan Buddhism traditions unveils in this documentary. Filmed over a year, five lamas and a sky burial master speak of their belief and ways of spiritual living, among others who have been conducting retreat for years on this plateau of extreme climates. Ten thousand people gathering at the annual prayer festival and the mystical Tibetan sky-burial practices are among the most unforgettable scenes.
Director’s Bio:
Born in 1975 in Zhejiang, Ma Li has worked as a documentary filmmaker for more than 10 years. She has directed many of documentary programmes for television. Mirror of Emptiness is her first feature-length documentary. Her latest film Born in Beijing is almost completed.
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