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Youth (Spring)
Original Title:
青春; qīng chūn
Duration:
212 minutes
Country:
China
Language:
Mandarin with English Subtitles
Director(s):
Bing Wang
In Youth (Spring), the time and schedule of the working teenager is shattered and chaotic. Their bloom and decay occur simultaneously, as a paradox, while affection, friendship, and love are in a muddied state of daybreak and sunset. The sole remaining linear aspect of life is space itself: cluttered dormitories, cramped workstations, bleak small-town streets. Here we witness real people; we see them laughing and joking around, sometimes in groups, sometimes alone. It is almost a pity to watch the suffering in this film, because Wang Bing, in his cutting and folding of reality, tortures the viewer: from what perspective are you looking at these people, and from what perspective are you looking at yourself?
Quote:
“Lived experience is the essence of Youth (Spring) as well as it is of Wang’s project. As a filmmaker he embeds himself in China’s working classes, working his own trade alongside them.” —J. Hoberman, The Nation
Awards:
+ Cannes Film Festival: 2023 Nominee Palme d'Or
+ Cannes Film Festival: 2023 Nominee Golden Eye
+ Golden Horse Film Festival: 2023 Golden Horse Award Best Documentary Feature
+ Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards: 2023 Independent/Experimental Film and Video Award
Presented By:
CMU Department of Modern Languages
Sponsored By:
The Documentary Salon, Yue Bai Wei
Director Bio
Wang Bing (Chinese: 王兵; pinyin: Wáng Bīng; born 1967) is a Chinese director, often referred to as one of the foremost figures in documentary film-making. Wang is the founder of his own production company, Wang Bing Studios, which produces most of his films. His movie on Chinese labour camps, The Ditch, was included in the 2010 Venice Film Festival as the film sorpresa.
With a Special Thank You to
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