"A tightening of controls on basic freedoms in China began in late 1998, escalated
throughout 1999, and has continued into the new year."
Human Rights Watch Testimony,
May 10, 2000
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NOT ONE LESS
Wei Jingsheng: A Voice for Chinese Democracy
NOT ONE LESS
Zhang Yimou - China - 1998 - 106 minutes - 35 mm - drama
In Mandarin Chinese with English subtitles
(Was shown at HRWIFF London March 3-9, 2000)
Zhang Yimou, acclaimed director of such films as JU DOU
and RAISE THE RED LANTERN, now turns his lens on the
plight of children in a poor village in China's countryside.
Swinging between comedy and drama, Zhang Yimou
follows the unpredictable adventures of Wei Minzhi - a
gawky, barely literate, 13-year-old tomboy left in charge
of the villages star (and only) teacher's class when
Teacher Gao must go away to care for his ailing mother.
Wei Minzhi immediately is more concerned about her 50
yuan pay then keeping all 28 students in their seats, let
alone even considering teaching them something. Minzhi
literally sits outside the classroom with her back against
the door so that no kids can escape. Quickly the
classroom turns to chaos, students are screaming,
throwing anything in sight, and the school bully is
controlling everyone. If that's not enough, Minzhi must
find money and means to go to the city in search of one
of her children who fled the village in hopes of finding a
job and supporting his family. Her trip to the city,
followed by her dealings with the individuals she
encounters there, serves to highlight her determination
and stubbornness - virtues which seem essential to
survival. Wei's sheer force of will wins her battles, yet,
the film clearly implies that this happy ending is the
exception - not the rule. Winner of the Golden Lion,
Venice Film Festival 1999 (Courtesy of Sony Pictures
Classics)
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Wei Jingsheng: A Voice for Chinese Democracy
Joe Cultrera/Kris Torgeson, USA, 1997, 8 minutes
1997 Human Rights Watch Festival
Created from excerpts of the motion picture Moving the Mountain, produced by Trudie Styler and directed by Michael Apted, this short film is an unusually upfront discussion with China's most celebrated hero of the pro-democracy movement, Wei Jingsheng.
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