Mang Shan (Blind Mountain)

This very interesting Yang Li film is set in the early 90's and tells an amazing story about an urban university educated young woman tricked into a fake job that make her go to a remote small village where she's purchased as a wife for a peasant. What follows is her shock, her repulsion, trying to escape, being abused, etc. etc. until a great not expected abrupt finale.

The film style recalls a lot the look of the Fifth generation of Chinese directors (like for example Zhang Yimou) and a lot the work of the Sixth generation directors (for example Jia Zhang ke) suggesting to be a film of transition between lyric narrative and bare raw-reality, which makes it quite interesting if you enjoy slow paced films, with good indoor and outdoor cinematography, absence of music, plus actor and non-actors excellent performances.

The way the director chose to tell the story is also interesting as it's not really emotional and you don't necessarily empathize with the main character during a long while; but suddenly you will and at the strong finale you will feel a plethora of contradictory feelings. Great storytelling!

A film that I strongly recommend especially to women from all over the world as even when most critics talk about China politics in the story, for me definitively is not about politics, is an universal women story that with or without variations happens all over the world.

The movie has been honored with awards at festivals like the 2007 Bratislava and 2008 Istambul fests, all well deserved honors for a movie that slowly, very slowly uncovers a thought provoking story.

A must be seen for those that enjoy Chinese cinema and compelling women stories.

Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @ Movie On