Chicago, IL (November 1, 2021) – The semi-annual Asian Film Festival, Asian Pop-Up Cinema announce a special Fall presentation of Director Xie Fei's first North American streaming series and Director Jun Lee's new thriller Cloudy Mountain at a Chicago Drive-in.
The six-film mini-series streaming event, XIE FEI: A RETROSPECTIVE will be hosted on Smart Cinema USA for both U.S. & Canadian audiences November 12-21, 2021. On November 13 at 5:00 pm, Asian Pop-Up Cinema will present CLOUDY MOUNTAIN at ChiTown Movies Drive-in (2343 S. Throop). The latter event is sponsored by the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Chicago. Both events are free and RSVP is required.
Xie Fei was born in 1942 and is internationally known as one of the most prominent directors from China. He graduated from Beijing Film Academy of China and stayed as an educator with the school for 40 years by becoming a professor, Dean of the Director Department, and Vice President. He is a 4th generation director and educated 5th & 6th generation filmmakers including Chen Kaige, Zhang Yi Mao, Tian Zhuang Zhuang, and Jia Zhangke. At the recently held Pingyao International Film Festival, Xie Fei received an award as one of the “2021 Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon East-West Contribution” honorees together with Hong Kong director Tsui Hark.
During the streaming validity, viewers have 24-hours to watch any film at www.smartcinemausa.com.
The six-film mini-streaming series are all dramas, directed by Xie Fei, and in Mandarin, Tibetan, and/or Mongolian with English subtitles. They include:
Our Farmland 我們的田野(1983)
Screenwriter is also Xie Fei
Starring: Zhou lijin, Zhang Jing, Lin Fanbing, Lv Xiaogang, and Han Lei
The film tells the story of urban youth sent to the countryside for a ‘re-education' during the Cultural Revolution. The film was nominated for the Golden Rooster Award for Best Cinematography.
A Girl from Hunan 湘女萧萧 (1986)
Starring: Naren Hua, Xiatuang Deng, Zhang Yu, Meiling Ni
A Girl from Hunan tells the story of a willful young girl (initially played by Lin Qing and played as an adult by Naren Hua) who, at the start of the film, is about to enter into an arranged marriage with a two-year-old child, Chun Guan. Xiao Xiao, the girl in question, is only twelve. It was one of the first mainland Chinese films to be commercially screened in the United States. The film is based on a 1929 short story, Xiao Xiao (or Hsiao Hsiao), by author Shen Congwen.
A Girl from Hunan screened in the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes International Film Festival in 1987 and won the Don Quixote Award at the San Sebastian Film Festival and the Golden Panda Award at the Montpelier Film Festival in 1988. In 1993 the film won the Humanitarianism Award in China.
Black Snow 本命年(1990)
Starring: Jiang Wen, Hong Yue, Hongxiang Cai, Cheng Lin.
Written and adapted from a novel by Liu Heng, the film captures the social impact of political change in China during the Cultural Revolution.
A semi-literate who was deprived of schooling during the Cultural Revolution, Li Huiquan, is released from a labor camp. But his attempts to make good are continually thwarted. His street stall selling clothes puts him on the fringe of the black market, and he soon gets lured back into his old neighborhood gangs. His disenchanted comrades include a nightclub chanteuse as well as an escaped convict.
Winner of the Silver Bear Award at the 40th Berlin International Film Festival, it also screened at the Hong Kong, London, Washington, Sydney, and Montreal Film Festivals.
Woman from the Lake of Scented Souls 香魂女 (1993)
Starring: Siqin Gaowa, Yujuan Wu, Chen Baoguo, Hu Xiaoguang.
The film is adapted from a novel by Zhou Daxin, “The Fragrant Oil Mill by the Lake of Scented Souls” (香魂塘畔的香油坊). A woman in the small village of Hebei runs a small sesame oil business that becomes unexpectedly successful but then uses her money to buy a peasant bride for her mentally disabled son.
Winner of the Golden Bear Award at the Berlin Film Festival in 1993, the Chinese Government Outstanding Film Award, the Best Ten Chinese Film Award in Hong Kong, and the Best Actress Award at the Chicago International Film Festival in the same year.
A Mongolian Tale 黑骏马 (1995)
Available only for limited one-day validity on November 21, 2021
Starring: Dalarsurong, Tengger, Naren Hua
Adapted by the novelist and ethnographer Zhang Chengzhi from his novel, Black Steed, A Mongolian Tale tells the story of an elderly woman who raises her granddaughter and an abandoned boy, who vow to wed as adults.
Xie Fei won the Best Director Award at the Montreal World Film Festival, while actor/musician Tengger won a special award for musical contribution. The film was praised by Western critics including The New York Times who said actress Dalarsurong in her role as Nai Nai is “eas[ing] into the radiant role of this film's endlessly wise foster grandmother” and Variety found the film generally “lightweight” but nevertheless “beautifully made.”
Song of Tibet 益西卓瑪(2000)
Starring: Danzengzhuoga, Laquiong, Dawangdui
Song of Tibet displays the last century of Tibetan history by telling the love story of Yeshe Dolma, a Tibetan woman, and her romance with three men.
Winner of Best Screenwriting, Best Music and Best Actress Award – Golden Rooster Awards, China (2001); Winner of Interfaith Award, St. Louis International Film Festival, USA (2001); Winner of Audience Award, Ocean Film Festival, Netherlands (2001).
CLOUDY MOUNTAIN (峰爆) showing at the Drive-in
ChiTown Movies is located near China Town in Pilsen (2343 S. Throop).
The film will be presented once at 5:00 PM on Saturday, November 13
RSVP Is required at asianpopupcinema.org/cloudy
Cloudy Mountain (峰爆)
Genre: Thriller, Disaster, Action
Director: Jun Lee (or Li)
Language: Mandarin with English subtitles
Cast: Yilong Zhu, Zhizhong Huang, Shu Chen, Junyan Jiao, Taishen Cheng, Ge Wang, Siyu Lu, Jiantao Hong
When a tunnel under construction is threatened by a chain reaction of natural disasters, it's up to a father and his scientist son to save the small town in the newly built path of danger. See the trailer
Jun Lee directed a number of well-known films and television dramas, and his work is known for its suspense and tension. He has been recognized with first place in the 23rd Huading Awards Top 100 TV Series, the Gold Award for Best TV Series in the Chinese American Film Festival and the title of “Top 10 Television Series” in the 2015 China TV Drama Awards.
ABOUT SOPHIA'S CHOICE / ASIAN POP-UP CINEMA
Asian Pop-Up Cinema, a semi-annual Asian Film Festival, is the brainchild of Sophia Wong Boccio, founder of Sophia's Choice, a Chicago-based 501 C (3) not-for-profit incorporated in 2015 with the multi-pronged mission of cultivating an interest in and understanding of Asian cultures via a diverse offering of Asian films; connecting the Asian film industry with local Chicago film professionals, educators and students; and promoting Chicago as a destination for international visitors.
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Smart Cinema USA is one of the leading virtual cinemas and first choice place to watch Asian films. Not only release the latest blockbuster movies and award-winning arthouse movies, Smart Cinema also entertains audiences with innovative virtual premiere and watch party product features. Smart Cinema is available on iOS/Android with Airplay and Chromecast, web browsers, and Vizio SmartCast.
