Blush (film)
Encyclopedia
Blush is a 1995 Chinese film
about the experience of two women during the People's Republic of China
's campaign to re-educate prostitutes. Blush was directed by Li Shaohong
and stars He Saifei
, Wang Ji, and Wang Zhiwen
. The film was a co-production between Hong Kong's Ocean Film and Beijing Film Studio.
Blush won the Silver Bear for Outstanding Single Achievement at the Berlin International Film Festival
in 1995.
. Rebelling against her new life of uniforms and forced re-education, Qiuyi escapes and becomes a kept woman for Laopu (Wang Zhiwen) When Qiuyi becomes pregnant, she seeks refuge in a Buddhist temple but is cast out when the baby miscarries
.
Left in the training camp, Xiao'e undergoes her ideological re-education and emerges from her ordeal as a factory worker. Detesting physical labor, she goes on to marry Laopu and has a child with him, forcing him to steal money from work. When Laopu is caught, he is sentenced to death, and Xiao'e abandons him and her child to remarry. As the film ends, Xiao'E'schild is adopted by Qiuyi, who had gone on to marry a simple old teahouse owner.
of the Chicago Reader calling it the "most emotionally complex picture I've seen from mainland China about the effect of the communist revolution on the lives of ordinary people."
Cinema of China
The Chinese-language cinema has three distinct historical threads: Cinema of Hong Kong, Cinema of China, and Cinema of Taiwan. Since 1949 the cinema of mainland China has operated under restrictions imposed by the Communist Party of China's State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television and...
about the experience of two women during the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
's campaign to re-educate prostitutes. Blush was directed by Li Shaohong
Li Shaohong
Li Shaohong is a Chinese film director. She graduated from the Beijing Film Academy and is a member of the Fifth Generation of Chinese film directors.Li has directed nine films since 1988 and may be China's best-known woman director.-External links:...
and stars He Saifei
He Saifei
He Saifei is a Chinese actress. Movies she has acted in include Raise the Red Lantern and Lust, Caution.-Personal life:She has two sisters. Her parents separated when she was five. She has one son, born in 1998.-Filmography:...
, Wang Ji, and Wang Zhiwen
Wang Zhiwen
Wang Zhiwen is a Chinese actor born in Shanghai, China. He was selected by for his acting abilities at an early age and began to pursue a career in acting that has flourished in recent years, culminating in his role in Chen Kaige's Together...
. The film was a co-production between Hong Kong's Ocean Film and Beijing Film Studio.
Blush won the Silver Bear for Outstanding Single Achievement at the Berlin International Film Festival
Berlin International Film Festival
The Berlin International Film Festival , also called the Berlinale, is one of the world's leading film festivals and most reputable media events. It is held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in West Berlin in 1951, the festival has been celebrated annually in February since 1978...
in 1995.
Plot
Blush takes place in the 1950s during a campaign by the new Communist government in China designed to "re-educate" prostitutes to become contributing members of society. Two such prostitutes, Xiao'E (He Saifei) and Qiuyi (Wang Ji), have recently been sent to a re-education camp by the People's Liberation ArmyPeople's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
. Rebelling against her new life of uniforms and forced re-education, Qiuyi escapes and becomes a kept woman for Laopu (Wang Zhiwen) When Qiuyi becomes pregnant, she seeks refuge in a Buddhist temple but is cast out when the baby miscarries
Miscarriage
Miscarriage or spontaneous abortion is the spontaneous end of a pregnancy at a stage where the embryo or fetus is incapable of surviving independently, generally defined in humans at prior to 20 weeks of gestation...
.
Left in the training camp, Xiao'e undergoes her ideological re-education and emerges from her ordeal as a factory worker. Detesting physical labor, she goes on to marry Laopu and has a child with him, forcing him to steal money from work. When Laopu is caught, he is sentenced to death, and Xiao'e abandons him and her child to remarry. As the film ends, Xiao'E'schild is adopted by Qiuyi, who had gone on to marry a simple old teahouse owner.
Reception
Blush was well-received by most critics in the West, with Jonathan RosenbaumJonathan Rosenbaum
Jonathan Rosenbaum is an American film critic. Rosenbaum was the head film critic for the Chicago Reader from 1987 until 2008, when he retired at the age of 65...
of the Chicago Reader calling it the "most emotionally complex picture I've seen from mainland China about the effect of the communist revolution on the lives of ordinary people."
External links
- Blush at the Chinese Movie Database