QINGSHUI LI DE DAOZI
KNIFE IN THE CLEAR WATER
Wang Xuebo / China / 2016 / 93 min / Colour
Italian premiere
After the death of his wife, the elderly Ma Zishan must organise the Arba’een ceremony, that will take place forty days after the funeral. To honour the memory of the deceased, and host the many relatives who will come to visit, with his son he considers sacrificing their ox, now too old to work in the fields. The thought of losing his companion in fatigue leads Ma to reflect on the deep bond of affection he has with the animal. Between them an empathic relationship seems to develop, such that the ox, as though aware of his destiny, refuses to eat and slowly declines. The suspicion that the old animal has seen "the knife in the water", thus perceiving his eminent demise, devours the old farmer, whose pain for the loss of his loved ones permeates his slow gestures and melancholy expressions.
Wang Xuebo
Born in 1984, he produced the feature, Tharlo, by Pema Tseden, presented at various international festivals including the Venice Film Festival and Tokyo FilmEx, and awarded numerous prizes including the Lessinia d’Argento at the XXII Film Festival della Lessinia. Knife in the Clear Water (2016), begun in 2010, is his directing debut.
Credits
Subject Shi Shuqing, Wang Xuebo , Ma Jinlian, MayueScreenplay Shi Shuqing, Wang Xuebo , Ma Jinlian, MayueCinematography Wang WeihuaSound FukangEditing Liao Qingsong, Guo Xiaodong, Wang XueboMain cast Yang Shengcang, Zhou Jinhua, Yang Fan, Yang XueProducer Wang Xuebo, Wang Zijian, Chen Cheng, Chen JianProduction company Beijing Ocean&Time Culture Communication
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