movie "Sunflowers in the Evening" was recently held in Aranya. The film was directed by Li Xu, starring Na Renhua, and shot by Hebei University of Communication. It tells the story of Xu Manfang, a terminally ill urban woman who returns to the life where her late husband lived when he was young. He wanted to end his life in beautiful memories. By chance, he met the shadow puppet artist Li Youcai. Through the story of One Flower and One Thing, he had a new epiphany about life and death, and began to rethink the meaning of life.
is the debut film of Li Xu, a director born in the 1990s. The film uses its unique poetic image language to explore the meaning of life. Experts said that this experimental art film not only explores the nature of art and life, but also pays attention to women's issues, as well as innovative breakthroughs in audio-visual presentation, all of which contribute to the diversified development of Chinese film creation. Possibilities are provided.
Xie Fei, a famous director, screenwriter, producer, and professor
"Sunflower in the Evening" is his debut film. Director Li Xu has created a valuable work of art with high quality. Congratulations to the artists of this generation. He believes that this film truly shows the mentality and spirit of an elderly woman when facing death. Not only is the film rich in story content, but the filming techniques are also steady and meticulous. As a young director's first work, it is worthy of celebration. He also expressed the hope that the film can truly enter the audience's field of vision and produce the artistic and cultural effects it deserves.
Zhou Xing, Director of the Teaching Steering Committee for Drama and Film and Television Studies of the Ministry of Education, Director of the Asian and Chinese Film Research Center of Beijing Normal University, Professor, and Doctoral Supervisor
Director Zhou Xing believes that from the perspective of a debut film, Director Li Xu has done A very personal and artistic work. The film not only expresses the good side of human nature, but also shows artistic perception and touching power. The director always insists on artistic exploration. The exploration of art is not utilitarian, but highlights the core of video art. The spiritual connotation and traditional cultural characteristics presented in this film are of great significance to the development of Chinese films. He feels that in addition to entertaining films, the film market should also encourage films such as "Sunflowers in the Evening" that explore the humanistic spirit and can inspire society.
Rao Shuguang, president of the China Film Critics Society, former secretary-general of the China Film Association, former director of the Film Art Center of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, researcher
Rao Shuguang said that this is a film with a female perspective and unique aesthetic style, emphasizing mutual tolerance. and warm concepts not only meet the diverse viewing needs of audiences, but also promote the high-quality development of Chinese films. This film is presented from a female perspective, illustrating the best way for women to bid farewell to the world and help others after suffering from cancer, embodying the warmth and tenderness of women. The director's creative inspiration, artistic observation and thinking, as well as his unique aesthetic style, are reflected in many expressive details in the film, which not only resonates with the audience, but also provides fresh experience for domestic academic film creation.
Huo Jianqi, director of China Film Group Corporation's Artistic Creative Personnel Center
Huo Jianqi feels that film, as a comprehensive art, is difficult for first-time directors. When a director faces the pressure and challenges of making a movie for the first time, he needs to have the stability and ability to control the overall situation. Especially when working with experienced actors and creative teams, how to communicate with the actors, put forward performance requirements from the director's perspective, and how to coordinate the work of the command team all test the director's ability. "Sunflower in the Evening" is the debut film of director Li Xu. Both the completion of the film and the director's calm and calm directing ability are remarkable. This film allows the audience to see that although the age range of the main creators is large, the pursuit of art and the appreciation of beauty are interlinked.
Sun Chonglei, member of the original party group of the China Film Association, deputy secretary-general, chairman of the Youth and New Literary Groups Working Committee of the Hongguo Film Association, and vice president of the Documentary Film Working Committee of the China Film Association
Sun Chonglei said that "Sunflowers in the Evening" has a high level of influence. starting point.The contribution of the senior creators of this film to the Chinese film industry and their support and encouragement to young directors are full of their love for movies and their confidence in cultivating young talents. Directors who grew up in such an artistic creation atmosphere have their own aesthetic and artistic pursuits, as well as unique artistic expressions, rather than blindly catering to the mainstream market. He believes that the value and responsibility to history and society shown in this film can inspire more young people to have a new understanding of life and enhance their values.
Sun Chengjian, deputy director of the Film and Television Research Institute of the China Academy of Arts, Research Institute, and doctoral supervisor
Sun Chengjian has been involved in this film since the creative planning. When he saw the rough cut of the film, his eyes lit up and he was The answer sheet submitted by Director Li Xu was a surprise. As a young director, Li Xu cooperated with an excellent creative team during the filming of his debut film, and was able to consistently adhere to his own expression. At the same time, he was also willing to humbly accept the suggestions of his seniors when it came to detailing, and he has the rare confidence and poise of a creator. The film has a high degree of completion in terms of meaning construction and image presentation. The theme of "living toward death" expressed in the film is not gloomy, but faces life, disease and death with a positive attitude, providing more enlightenment to the audience. and motivation. This rare and profound expression by young people deserves more social recognition.
Huang Wangli, Director of the Film and Media Research Center of Shanghai Theater Academy, professor, and doctoral supervisor
As an outstanding female representative in the industry attending the conference, Huang Wangli deeply agrees with the reasons why young directors choose female themes and their concern for female issues. In her opinion, there are still too few films related to female issues, and young male directors’ attention to women plays an important role in feminist creation. Director Li Xu not only brought the situation of women and the issues between women and men to the big screen, but also emphasized the importance of women as narrative subjects. She hopes that such works that focus on women and explore women's tenderness will be seen by more audiences.
He Zhenhu, President of Hebei Radio and Television Association
He Zhenhu also praised this film that touched both the body and mind. As an exploratory experimental film, "Sunflowers in the Evening" is an excellent case of mutual achievement among directors, screenwriters and actors. . I hope more audiences can see this film and see the creativity and artistic expression of the new generation of young directors.
Director Li Xu of the film "Sunflower in the Evening"
Director Li Xu said that "Sunflower in the Evening" is a "future movie". The heroine's "root-seeking" behavior in the film is a kind of wisdom that can look forward to the future and is also a warning against danger. A defense. The simple, beautiful, and simplified image texture of the film not only points to a woman, but also magnifies it to human beings. Death contains vitality, and the past contains the future. Movies include literature, music, painting and other art forms, and they also have a certain mission.
Na Renhua, the star of the movie "Sunflower in the Evening"
Na Renhua said frankly that she was deeply moved and attracted by the script and experimental shooting techniques in "Sunflower in the Evening". Although the film explores grand themes, it always starts from the smallest details. Although it was her first time to work with young director Li Xu, as a double winner of the Golden Rooster Award and the Huabiao Award, she used her soul to play the last moments of the heroine Xu Manfang. Under the director's freehand lens language, she used her superb acting skills to show the resilience of life and the charm of women. She believes that what is most needed in cooperation with young directors is respect, appreciation and understanding. Young directors can bring scarce creativity to current movies.
Liu Yibing, former professor at Beijing Film Academy, professor at the School of Film and Television Arts of Hebei University of Communication, screenwriter of the film "Sunflower at Evening"
Liu Yibing, as the screenwriter of this film, was full of hesitation and uneasiness about working with young directors before filming, but during the filming During the process, the director accumulated film knowledge and unique understanding and concepts of film art, which gradually dispelled his concerns.After watching the film, I found that the director successfully used film language to convey the inner understanding of the characters, emphasizing the beauty of human nature and the warmth of emotion. The director used visual effects, makeup, image, narrative rhythm and film language to show the difficulties and challenges of the story. He found his own image system and used a soothing rhythm and atmosphere to depict the inner struggles of the characters, leaving a deep impression on people. This film also projects the director's own emotional experience and thinking about life. It should be loved and recognized by the audience after it is released.
Art director of Cao Jiuping's film "Sunflowers in the Evening", director and professor of the Art Department of the School of Drama, Film and Television of Communication University of China
As a master art director who has collaborated with many well-known directors at home and abroad, Cao Jiuping said that Director Li Xu can do this at the age of 26 I feel lucky to have made my debut. The director was deeply influenced by modernist painting, so he went over many details with the director, striving to use the simplest elements to express the richest imagery and the most complex thinking in the work. In order to pursue the ultimate in art design, the entire art team strives for excellence in many details, such as items with signs of age. The director actively absorbed all aspects of the creative team's ideas during the creative process, giving the film a unique aesthetic style and providing a very meaningful inspiration for the Chinese film industry.
Tong Huamiao is the character styling director of the movie "Sunflower in the Evening". Professor Tong Huamiao, Department of Fine Arts, School of Film and Television Arts, Communication University of China
As a senior styling director in the industry, Tong Huamiao has his own aesthetic height. Through the makeup and modeling that fits the characteristics of the characters, the different states of mind of the characters are shown, and the image of the actor and the image of the character are organically integrated, which contributes to improving the overall effect of the movie. The director collaborated in depth with these seniors, and their innovative designs and ideas gave the film a more advanced audio-visual aesthetic.
Screenwriter of Yao Wanli's film "Sunflowers in the Evening", professor at Hebei University of Communication, long-term professor at the School of Continuing Education of Beijing Film Academy, Ph.D., master's tutor
As a film with philosophical speculation, the script of "Sunflowers in the Evening" has experienced Repeated deliberation and revision. Finally, with the addition of screenwriters Liu Yibing and Yao Wanli, the script gradually took shape. The protagonist was changed from a young woman of about 18 years old in the original version to an older woman in the current version, which solved some basic and logical problems that had existed in the script before. The delicate texture that Yao Wanli injected into the film from a female perspective is more in line with the creative theme that the director wants to express.
