VENICE, Italy, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- "Gao Su Ta Men, Wo Cheng Bai He Qu Le" (Fly Withthe Crane) by Chinese director Li Ruijun premiered at the 69th Venice InternationalFilm Festival on Wednesday.
The film tells the story of Old Ma, a 73-year-old carpenter who made and paintedcoffins. Believing that a person's soul and spirit can only be preserved after deaththrough burial, he planned to make a romantic ending of his life and was longing to betaken to heaven by a white crane.
But after the authorities began requiring cremation, the old man felt hopeless until oneday, his grandchildren mapped out an extraordinary plan to set him free.
At a press conference before the premiere, Li told reporters he was struck by thecharacter of the old man.
"The story of this old man allowed me to, ever so slowly, understand that our time onearth is merely an ending merged with a beginning and that it is simply a divine game,the divine game of life," said the director.
Things that can really touch people's heart come from the plain life of ordinary people,the young Chinese director told Xinhua in an interview.
Most of the actors in "Fly With the Crane" are non-professional, including Li's father,mother and brother, said the 29-year-old director who was born in Gansu province innorthwest China.
Besides financial constraints, Li said another reason for this choice was that he did notthink professional actors could do justice to the characters and emotions of people inrural areas of China. The film was adapted from a novel by renowned Chinese authorSu Tong.
Su's best-known work abroad is the novel Wives and Concubines, which was made into"Raise the Red Lantern" by Director Zhang Yimou. The film won numerous awardsworldwide, including the Silver Lion at the Venice festival in 1991.
Li met considerable difficulties in making this film due to shortage of money and hisyoung age, Su said at the press conference.
"So, it's a great piece of news that the film has been selected by the Venice filmfestival," he said.
Festival director Alberto Barbera made a special mention of "Fly with the Crane" in aninterview with the Chinese media, saying the film showed special talent of the youngChinese director.
It is one of the three Chinese films competing in the Orizzonti section, which means it isstill possible for the Chinese movies to grab titles at the festival, Barbera said.
The Venice film festival, the world's oldest, runs from Aug. 29 to Sept. 8 at the Lidoseafront in Venice.
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