Description

He was strong, he was stoic, he was morally pure and he could slay a tiger singlehandedly. He was Wu Song, one of the greatest folk heroes of classical Chinese literature, and millions of Chinese males – including aspiring filmmaker Men Desong – admire him without question or qualification. Desong, an awkward, introverted virgin, might not have Wu Song’s muscle or charisma, but he shares his idol’s dogged determination. He’s devoted to making the definitive Wu Song film, after which he intends to give the rest of his life to Buddhist monastic retreat. His task will not be an easy one. Coerced into taking financing from the bullying, unscrupulous philistine Mr. Zhang, Desong soon sees his pure vision of Wu Song corrupted by ugly commercial considerations, such as the casting of the irritating and entirely inappropriate pop star Li in the lead role (Desong has a dim-witted but physically powerful nobody in mind for the part). Then there’s the calculating vixen he’s selected to play the scheming Pan, the sleazy producer constantly undermining him, his parents scolding him as a complete loser… in short, everything’s stacked up against Desong and his dream.

While the Herculean task of creating a personal vision in independent cinema is a truly international one (a quick scan of the Fantasia program no doubt provides countless true-life tales of this sort, from around the globe), 40-year-old first-time director Lu Yi Tong’s Lost In Wu Song offers a special Chinese twist on the theme. It’s not just a piercing look at the collision of art and commerce, tradition and transition in the immensely populous and rapidly evolving nation, but also a ruthless deconstruction of the hollow patriarchal machismo present there, punctured in this film by way of dark, sarcastic humour. Shifting settings take us from Desong’s idealized visions of the tale of Wu Song as he would present it to the humiliating realities of his real life, showcasing Lu Yi Tong’s clever and complex approach to his topic, his accomplished technical tricks and the poignant insight he has to offer.

—Rupert Bottenberg

"Witty and original… an enjoyable film-about-filmmaking with a level of cultural commentary that leavens the self-indulgence which normally characterises films which portray the travails of dedicated filmmakers as the most terrible injustices in the world" - Robert Williamson, FIRECRACKER-MEDIA.COM

Credits

Director: Lu Yi Tong
Screenplay: Lu Yi Tong
Cast: Yu Ai Lei, Ma Jing Jing, An Jing, Chi Nai
Producers: Lu Yi Tong, Shao Li Jun
Distributor: Nutshell Productions

Screens with...

Orange International Premiere China 2005 | 10 min