Cheng Cheng Films Presents “Ever Since We Love“, on streamers and DVD on 12/14/2021.
“The female leads here still manage to shine… Fan Bingbing is impressive as always as Qing Liu, particularly in the way she changes from a kind of femme fatale to a vulnerable, sensitive woman, in a role that is a bit more sensuous than her previous cooperations with Li Yu, an approach she seems to thrive in.” Panos Kotzathanasis, Asian Movie Pulse
“Death is somewhat present in all the love scenes. Such symbols detach audience passion and create an unbridgeable gap between ideologies of the film and of the patriarchal original book…The lively female characters with their own desire and agency deconstruct Qiu Shui's male gaze and are enabled by the filmmaker to look back.” Huiyuan Bai, ArtGuide
“Li Yu is a wildly disordered filmmaker, but her films are full of life, and there can be vibrant moments when you may least expect them. ” Chris Knipp, ChrisKnipp.com
“it is actually entertaining as an emotional roller-coaster, especially since it also comes with plenty of seduction. fans of Fan and the novel should be pleased by the sexy, tragic melodrama.” Joe Bendel, j.b.spins
“Yu explores the dynamics of relationships in a way that is more true to life than what we typically see in movies and while it's a bit more of a struggle, I feel like it made for a more satisfying experience.” Marc Morin, TwoOhSix.com
“…helmer Li is on surer footing here with the sort of material that has always suited her best: complex women in complicated relationships…Li's protags are sexually assertive, her love scenes wantonly sensuous even within the boundaries of Chinese screening standards.” Maggie Lee, Variety
“…the somewhat bumpy ride that Ever Since We Love takes to emotional maturity makes it infinitely more interesting than the routine campus-based nostalgia trips that are now a staple of China's commercial cinema.” John Berra, VCinema
“Technical contributions are strong on the visual side, with textured photography by the talented Zeng Jian (Mystery; Blind Massage, 2014) that encompasses a wide range of moods and, in a bungee-jumping outing, recalls the train-ride in Buddha Mountain in its play with light.” Derek Elley, Film Business Asia
Synopsis:
To Qiu Shui, a young lad in his most hungry, curious, and restless 20s, the whole world feels a little erotic. Studying at China's top medical college, he can break down men's carnal impulses with solid human anatomy knowledge but can't grasp the inner desire that draws him to three disparate romantic interests-the fairy-like hometown first love, the marriageable college girlfriend, and the sensuous working woman. It's the 1990s when China just opened up to exciting opportunities and risks. Unprecedented social fluidity provokes individuals' materialist and romantic appetites. This cruel new world eventually crushes Qiu Shui's burning passion and takes each of his lovers away. As he looks back at his chaotic youth as a grownup years later, he's rewarded with a deeper understanding of what it means to live and love. Adapting the best-selling novel “Everything Grows”, China's prominent woman director Li Yu reunites with idol Fan Bingbing to bring the female gaze to a male protagonist's story for the first time.
Directed by: Li Yu
Starring: Fan Bingbing – Han Geng
Produced by: Fang Li
Written by: Li Yu, John Wei, Xu Shaofei
Director of Photography: Zeng Jian
Sound Designer: Fu Kang
Art Director: Liu Weixin
Costume & Style Designers: Huang Yunan
Edited by: Zeng Jian – Yuan Ze
Music by: Takeshi Kobayashi – Howie B
