•• Foreign Film Edition ••
DEEP IN THE HEART
[2015, China - Mandarin]
When his feature debut Deep In The Heart won Best Director and Best Feature Film at the International Film Festival Xining (FIFFX) in 2014, Beijing director Xin Yukun's name was still unknown in the industry. Not only did the film rake in 4.35 million yuan (US$685,000) in its first three days despite being made with a paltry budget of 1.7 million yuan (US$269,800), setting a new record for the highest box office accomplishment by an independent, domestically-produced movie in China; it continued to achieve critical acclaim, bagging awards locally and overseas including Best New Director at International Film Critics' Week during the 71st Venice International Film Festival and the PIAGET Award of Excellence at the 51th Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival.
Originally titled The Coffin in the Mountain when it first ran on the festival circuit in 2014, the story centres around death and a coffin. Director Xin cleverly splits the film into a tri-linear format. We are first introduced to the estranged relationship between Weiguo (Huo Weimin) and his son Zongyao (Wang Xiaotian). From what seems to be a desperate plan for Zongyao to runaway from his village in Henan Province after accidentally killing a man, it triggers a series of events which seals his fate to his father in an unimaginable way. The discovery of the corpse on the outskirts of the village spins another two timelines which in a bizarre turn will find their own way of connecting, with different families claiming their linkage to the corpse. Li Qin (Sun Li), a woman who indulges in an affair with her ex-lover as she endures years of domestic violence. And finally, Weiguo who is well respected as the chief of the village, finds himself dragged into the crime scene and hopelessly attempts to clear his family's name and restore order to his village.
What is cleverly presented here is the linkage that binds the three stories together, whilst each character's quandary and self-interest are honestly arrayed and juxtaposed. By retelling the events from varying timelines and perspectives, we are given the story in pieces while at the same time entertained with the host of idiosyncratic characters and dark humor throughout. No doubt suffering from several missteps in his attempt to bring together an intense story within a crowded cast, Xin's debut emerges triumphant. Yes parts of the storytelling may be sluggish, scripting is not exactly tip-top, but I'm thoroughly entertained. Deep In The Heart is deeply engaging with its multitude of plotting and deception, a staggering witness to the calamity that sends us into the abyss of humanity.
Rating: A-
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