"Close to the Sun"

About three weeks ago, Patrick received an unexpected call asking him to put together a screening in our area for a Chinese film, Close to the Sun.  

Close to the Sun is an independent film about a young French woman who is dying from an unnamed illness and travels in search of a final resting place.  She winds up in a remote village in Guizhou, China among the Miao ethnic minority group.

Over the past year, this film has picked up numerous awards, including Best Foreign Language Film and Best Cinematography at the Sedona Film Festival.

I was surprised to learn that the director of the film, Chou Chou, who graduated from the Beijing Film Academy in 2002, was born in 1983 (only one year before me) and is considered China's youngest female feature film director.  Close to the Sun is her second undertaking in filmmaking, which she developed from concept to final product.  Chou Chou's family originates from the Dong and Miao ethnic minority groups in Guizhou, China, who are a central focus of the film.  

Source

These days, Chou Chou and some of Patrick's associates from his days working at the OSU Chinese Flagship Program have been hard at work promoting the film at a dizzying rate in cities across the U.S., and were hoping to squeeze in a stop in the DC area along the way.

With only a few weeks at his disposal, Patrick immediately went to work in search of a free venue.  Thanks to the help of friends, he was able to find a lecture hall at the University of Maryland through their Chinese Student and Scholar Association.

Once the venue was successfully taken care of, however, the one thing we could not predict was attendance.  We crossed our fingers and hoped for at least 30 people to come...

... And ultimately we were very excited when close to 70 people showed up, including representatives from the Chinese embassy. 

My thoughts on the film:  

Chou Chou set out to shine a light on the unique rural charm of her people and has definitely succeeded in doing so.  The story itself is slow-moving, but appropriately so as it reflects the simple, unhurried lifestyle of a culture that has somehow managed to elude the outside influence of industry and technology for years.  

This film is a break from the fast-paced, digitally enhanced dramas and thrillers we are accustomed to watching.  In this case, the plot and dialogue are overshadowed by gorgeous scenery, haunting music, and lengthy scenes showcasing the peculiar customs and rituals of the Miao.  There is a peaceful, meditative quality to this film as well as a sense of authenticity, especially since the film features local villagers in lieu of professional actors.  All in all, it is a befitting representation of its people and their way of life, and by the end it left me wishing for escape to a similar sanctuary, removed from the complexities and pressures of modern civilization.  (Although this could be influenced by the fact that as I'm writing this, a constant drone of drills and hammers and tractor trucks is surging through my open window from the construction site next door).  

Following the film, there was a Q&A with Chou Chou.  Since her English ability is limited, Patrick provided the translations.  Here is a short clip of him in action.  

I'd say the evening was a success, and I'm very impressed with Patrick and those who put together this event on such short notice.  

The evening's coordinators

A random collection of people in attendance.  

I'm on the far right while Patrick takes center stage

(although he insists it was an accident).

And we were glad that a bunch of our friends made it to the screening as well, including Jim and Tamara :)

On Saturday, we went to dinner with Chou Chou and some of the organizers at Sichuan Pavilion - the go-to place for Chinese food in downtown DC.  We've eaten here before, but this time we ordered off the "authentic" menu, which apparently you get to do when you're with a bunch of Chinese people.

As is customary in Chinese banquet settings, the "host" will order all of the dishes and everyone shares by way of the "Lazy Susan."  Check out our awesome spread.

Hot And Sour Soup, a personal favorite

The night was spent discussing the film (in Chinese of course... luckily I had a good translator on hand) and celebrating the weekend's success over a series of toasts.  (Apparently it's customary to drink only when the host does.)

At the end of the night, we received some lovely gifts: a hand-made cloth representing the Buyi culture in Guizhou...

... and this hand-embroidered silk that depicts a dragon (coincidentally Patrick's Chinese name has the character for dragon) that we plan to have framed.  It was apparently made with the "two needle stitch" technique that is unique to the Miao and has been passed down through thousands of years.

The weekend was a very memorable experience, and I am even more excited for April when we plan to visit Guizhou, China and see the villages in person!

oo,