By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: Jia Zhangke
Starring: Jianbin Chen | Joan Chen | Liping Lu | Tao Zhao
Original language title: Er shi si cheng ji
Country: china, hong_kong, japan
Year: 2009
Running time: 112
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1103963/
Bruce says: “Years from now there is no doubt in my mind that Jia ZhangKe will be considered one of the great documentarians of the great Chinese migration from a planned economy to a market-driven economy. 24 CITY is a companion piece to his well received films THE WORLD and STILL LIFE, each touching on the myriad of issues involving the new economic revolution.
“In 24 CITY Jia examines the lives of 9 workers, all of whom are affected by the closing of a famous aircraft and munitions factory Plant 420, in Chengdu, an industrial hub in Southwestern China. 24 CITY blurs the lines separating documentary from narrative filmmaking as 5 of the workers play themselves and 4 workers actually are actors following a script. One moment the film is 100% oral history, a film about memory; the next it draws on pure fiction to underline its message. In Jia’s words, ‘History is a mix of reality and imagination.’
“The film begins with a former worker who was loyal and rule abiding throughout his career. He spent his life admiring authority, doing what he was told, knowing that it was all for the common good. In a touching moment he visits his former boss who is slowly lapsing into senility. ‘What have you got to say?’ he asks the boss. ‘Seeing you makes me nervous, he replies. ‘My brain’s rusty.’ It is moving to see such a role reversal.
“A female worker discusses how her family was uprooted from the Northeast when the munitions plant moved to Sichuan Province. As the Cultural Revolution came to an end, the military had less need for jet engines. Factory layoffs became commonplace. Finally the plant began to manufacture washing machines. She discusses her personal life – how she had extra money that she sent her sister who was married with several children, barely able to make ends meet. Now this former Plant 420 worker has a meager pension and takes in sewing at home to pay her bills. Her sister’s children send her money. Her own son got separated from her on the ferry ride up the Yangtze to the new factory; she never saw him again.
“One of the funniest segments is that of Little Flower (Joan Chen) who never quite fit into the factory community – she was too beautiful to be taken seriously. She got her nickname from her resemblance to the actress Joan Chen who played the title role in a 1980 film, LITTLE FLOWER. (Not many actresses get to play themselves plus two fictional characters, all in one film!) Men fancied Little Flower but were in awe; one man wrote fake love letters to himself and signed her name. The man she loved ran
away and married someone else. She points out that many of her co-workers are now divorced and are ‘now single just like me.’
“To introduce his themes, Jia quotes Yeats, using ‘The Coming of Wisdom with Time’ and ‘Spilt Milt’ in addition to quoting traditional Chinese poetry. Badminton players on stage in from of a mural depicting the Great Wall with military planes soaring in one direction and rockets heading in the other add a surreal touch to the film. At the end of the film most of Plant 420 is demolished, replaced by high rise housing. The headquarters building is now a five star hotel. How’s that for market-driven!
In spite of my great admiration for Jia’s ouvre, I find the mix of fact and fiction slightly unsettling in those moments when it is difficult to tell which is which. 4 cats
“24 CITY screened at the New York Film Festival”