Nushu, which is popular in Jiangyong, Hunan, is a special writing used only among women. It is also the only female writing in the world. In 2006, it was included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage. Many people know Nüshu from the movie "Snowflakes and the Secret Fan" starring Li Bingbing and Jun Ji-hyun. "The Whisperer", China's first documentary film about Nüshu, produced by Elephant, focuses on the difficulties faced in inheriting Nüshu intangible cultural heritage and explores its practical social significance. On August 3, the film was screened in advance in Shanghai, and despite heavy rain, the venue was still nearly full. After watching it, some viewers said, "I very much agree with the last words of the protagonist Hu Xin, 'When I become strong, Nüshu will be reborn.' This is what the entire documentary wants to convey to us through this special intangible cultural heritage inheritance." "The Whisperer"
"The Whisperer"
"The Whisperer" is co-directed by Zhao Qing and Feng Du. It records the longing of Hu Xin, the inheritor of Nüshu, and the longing of Nüshu lovers as they spend their respective lives under the guidance of Nüshu. An important juncture, the story of becoming a better self. The film will be officially released on August 31.
As a documentary film, "The Whisperer" is quite watchable and narrative. The film does not explore the history of the development of Nüshu and the specific analysis of glyphs. Instead, it focuses on the two modern Nüshu practitioners. Women's life stories. Hu Xin is the youngest inheritor of Jiangyong's Nüshu. She chose to stay in her hometown to promote Nüshu, and has achieved worldly achievements. However, Nüshu, which has lost its original ecological soil, is also on the verge of being lost.
"The Whisperer"
"The Whisperer"
Under the wave of commercialization, in order to find development opportunities for Nüshu, experts from universities put forward the idea of cross-border integration. Some people developed a mobile phone with Nüshu as the operating interface, and it was quite impressive. held a press conference. Some people suggested to imitate the IP co-branding craze of the game "Honor of Kings", and asked Nüshu to co-brand with KFC, and also launched related gift box products. Others embroider Nüshu on their collars to develop men's clothing, but this deviates from the cultural connotation of Nüshu women transmitting secret messages. These lively activities are presented in the documentary with an ironic lens language, triggering the audience to think, can commercial co-branding truly activate intangible cultural heritage?
At a large-scale exhibition, Hu Xin, who was sitting quietly writing Nüshu, aroused the confusion of the audience, "Why do you write such small words on such a big paper?" This kind of confusion from the outside world's curiosity and scrutiny also happened when another protagonist was thinking about it. body. Without the aura of being an "inheriter", Simu promoted Nüshu purely out of love. When she went out to perform, the host introduced her as a "beautiful calligrapher" who "no one can understand what she writes." Simu, who was born in the city, grew up in an enlightened family atmosphere. In addition to being able to write female calligraphy, she can also play the piano, guqin, dance, and sing. When preparing to get married, Simu found that the person she loved did not support these artistic hobbies. Faced with the dilemma of marriage and career, she drew strength from women's books and chose to pursue herself independently.
"The Whisperer"
"The Whisperer"
Director Feng Du said that in 2017, he was also standing at a crossroads in his life. "I have just become a mother, playing a female role that I had never imagined before. It is particularly difficult to weigh all the roles of childbirth, parenting, career, personal value, and social value. At this time, I thought of Nushu. I decided to make this documentary, and decided not to tell this story in a historical way, but to tell the stories of contemporary women. Special thanks to the two heroines for bravely presenting their stories. What I filmed was not 'Nvshu'. feature film, I want to find our answers together in their stories. "
"The Whisperer"
"The Whisperer"
At the end of the film, Hu Xin tried to write a letter in Nüshu to He Yanxin, the older generation Nüshu inheritor. , and invited her to write a reply for herself."I ask if my aunt is safe, I always miss her." He Yanxin unfolded the letter, read the words that only they could understand, and sang slowly according to the fixed tune. While singing, he helped Hu Xin adjust and modify it into a more harmonious rhythm. From this, we can get a glimpse of the original ecology of this intangible cultural heritage. There are many places in the film where He Yanhui's singing of Nüshu texts moved the audience.
"The Whisperer" is produced by Elephant, jointly produced by Migu Video Technology, Youku Humanities, Shanghai Zhijiu Film and Television Media, Shenzhen Xinian Culture, Guangdong Pumeng Culture Technology, and Guangzhou Xingren Culture Communication, and launched by the Hunan Dialect Survey "Response" Project Wang Han serves as the chief planner and producer. It has started nationwide advance screening and will be released nationwide on August 31.
