Film Review: A Tapestry of a Legendary Land (2024) by Han Zhen, Zhou Liya

After receiving nationwide praise from both critics and audiences in the PRC, directors/choreographers Han Zhen and Zhou Liya have chosen TIFF to launch the international distribution of their dance drama “A Tapestry of a Legendary Land.” An amazing feat of music, dance, and lush colors bringing to life one the finest example of Chinese landscape painting, it is not just a feast for the eyes, as it also stands as an allegory of art as a life mission.

An artifact researcher of Beijing’s Palace Museum is portrayed in the act of studying one of the museum’s most valuable exhibits: “A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains,” the revered landscape scroll from Song Dynasty’s court painter Wang Ximeng (1096–1119). As the scholar wonders about the extraordinary circumstances that brought such a painting into existence, the world of Ximeng’s unfolds vividly in front of his eyes, retelling the tragic story of this short-lived yet immortal artist.

A work of art that holds a special place in Chinese common imaginary, as it embodies the strength of will and commitment of its young maker, “A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains” was last displayed to the public in 2017 because of its fragile nature. It was precisely on that occasion that Han and Zhou, upon witnessing the scroll with their own eyes, decided to build a dance piece around it. The idea to make a cinematic version of it, however, came later on, and posed some challenges, such as whether including spoken dialogue, adjusting the acting style to silver-screen standards, or adding a proper plot.

In the end, none of the above was enacted, and as such, the film remains true to its performance-centered nature. As a consequence, its direction style might be difficult to appreciate, as the camera is either always on the move – following the body of main actor/dancer Zhang Han as he twirls in enclosed spaces –, or embracing the whole scenography with pan focus wide shots – magnifying the effect of the overwhelming group choreographies. Defined by its directors as a «dance poem drama», “A Tapestry of a Legendary Land” feels like a musical with no words uttered, where dramatic tension is not to be found in the performers’ looks alone, but in the way they move their whole body in sync with the music.

In the absence of a conventional storyline, music is precisely what acts as a guiding principle, together with the shifting color palette that marks the highlights of Ximeng’s endeavors, as in each pigment that has been used for his masterpiece lies the story of the men and women that devoted their lives to collect and refine them.

In the end, given its experimental nature, bordering cinematic art and dance at once, “A Tapestry of a Legendary Land” could be labeled as a movie for lack of a better definition, yet it is more of a love declaration to art tout-court, spanning across multiple media.

In this regard, while paralleling the short life of Ximeng with the extreme longevity of his painting sure hints at the immortalizing power of art, a political interpretation may also be inferred. Indeed, if Ximeng managed to succeed in his feat, it was also thanks to all those common folks who tirelessly worked to get him the colors, gold foil and ink for his brush. In doing this, Han and Zhou seem to suggest that even a form of art that was aristocratic in its sponsorship and purposes, was somewhat collective, stemming from the harmonious cooperation of individuals that knew to be part of something bigger than themselves.

That being said, whatever the undisclosed message that “A Tapestry of a Legendary Land” might be carrying, it is certain that it will be remembered as the most remarkable sensorial experience of this TIFF’s edition.