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Jan 31, 2018Fangspalibro rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Tian Zhuang Zhuang directed it. Stories in it are real, and they are related with total sincerity. It is about a young school teacher's ( by Lu Liping) everyday, unexceptional life in Beijing. From her first marriage, her new born son( Tiedou), to other two marriages, it went through Mao's purge and the cultural revolution, the two biggest movements in Chinese history with the Blue Kite as a thread and emblem of loss in the entire story. The relationship between Tiedou and his mother observes truths that must exist in all cultures: how the parent makes sacrifices for years, only to see child turn aside. It was from a humanity point of view, not so much about China as about human nature, which made it associated to people who lived in different countries, at different eras and with different cultures. The film is photographed with remarkable gracefulness, colors and compositions finding beauty in the lives of these people ( neighbors from the courtyard and the streets) and especially in their faces. It is a political film! But it achievers its purpose by indirection. It is the best movie from the Fifth generation of Chinese filmmakers. 4/4 on Roger Ebert, 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, and 7.7/10 on IMDb.