¶ … Life captures a very important moment in Chinese history, when the Three Gorges dam flooded an area of the Yangtze. Ancient and traditional villages were wiped away, displacing over one million people and forever transforming the idyllic landscape of this region of China. The filmmaker captures the beauty -- both the lost beauty and the eternal beauty -- of this region. Scenery shots are not the only compelling thing about Still Life, however. This is a film about people. I especially appreciated the filmmaker's ability to blend the stories of the individuals within their natural, social, economic, and political environments. I care about the people because they seem real, as the acting is subtle and it almost feels as if we are watching a documentary at times. I also like the fact that the film captures the nature of Chinese culture as being very long-term oriented, which is why the pacing of the movie is slow. It works in this context, because the film is about mood and not about plot. We are supposed to think deeply about the issue of the dam flooding and what it means for the future of China. By the close of the film, it is clear that the Three Gorges Dam is a symbol of the changes taking place in Chinese culture.
Zhangke Jia uses the technique of intersecting stories to show how interrelated all aspects of life can be. The destruction of the villages brings together people from distant places who might...
Also, it causes the estranged husband to see the wife he wife who left him many years ago and allows them to come more honestly to terms with the end of their relationship. It is a sad moment. The end of their relationship reflects the decay, loss, and sadness around them. These are stories that in many ways mirror what is happening in the environment. Han takes a job with the demolition company, a paradoxical insight into the way Chinese people are systematically disenfranchised and disempowered. They have no control over the decisions the government is making, and must simply make the best with what they have. There are no real heroes in the film, but there are people trying to survive with strength, courage, and dignity. It is impossible to ignore the political dimensions of the movie, though. Issues related to poverty in China are explored through the displacement of the villagers but on a more intimate level too, especially through the sad character of Han and how he will go anywhere for work.
I appreciate how the filmmaker is reflecting life, and not interfering with it or making deliberate social or political commentary. The viewer is left to contemplate the issues without being suggested anything. We feel angry at the destruction of the villages, especially when the archaeology is unearthed, and yet we also know that there is nothing that can be done. It is, as the title suggests,…
