‘Mountains May Depart’ probes China’s latest leap forward

France 24, Sunday 27 Dec 2015

Mountains May Depart
Still from Mountains May Depart's official trailer

“Mountains May Depart”, which opened in French cinemas on Wednesday, confirms Chinese director Jia Zhangke’s status as chronicler of the sublime and the grotesque in a country mutating at a blistering pace.

For well over two thousand years, Chinese people have recounted the tale of Yu Gong, a foolish old farmer who vowed to “remove” mountains that stood in his way. Chairman Mao was so fond of the story he used it as a metaphor for the power of work, perseverance and collective endeavour. It is unlikely he would have anticipated the speed with which the metaphor has come true.

Charting modern China's breakneck pace is a staple of Jia Zhangke's cinema. In his latest film, the Fenyang-born director once again delves into the social and economic upheavals that have led his country to raise and flatten mountains – real or imaginary – as though they were toys. This time, his camera pushes beyond Chinese borders to tackle issues of identity and human interaction in an increasingly globalised and digital world.

Going West

“Mountains May Depart” is split into three parts. It starts with a love triangle in northern China in 1999, picks up the same characters in 2014, and then fast-tracks to Australia in 2025. The opening sequence, in which a group of enthusiastic young adults dance to the tune of the Pet Shop Boys’ “Go West”, deliciously out of step, is a moment of sheer exhilaration.

China is doing just that, “going West”, with the confidence of an emerging power that has just recovered Hong Kong and looks at the new millennium with renewed optimism. It is embracing consumer society, mobile phones and German cars, spawning a new generation of capitalist entrepreneurs who are about to steamroll over society’s losers.

Liang (Liang Jindong) is a coal miner and one such loser. He’s in love with Tao (Zhao Tao), who is also courted by the greedy nouveau riche Jinsheng (Zhang Yi). Inevitably, Jinsheng buys the coal mine, pushes Liang out of the picture, and marries Tao. They have a child, whom he insists on calling “Dollar”. Their wedding portrait, taken in ludicrous Western outfits with a picture of Sydney’s Opera House in the background, is a sign of things to come.

In the film’s final act, Dollar lives in Australia. A dislocated product of China’s diaspora, he’s forgotten both his mother and his mother tongue (though, curiously, he speaks English with a heavy Chinese accent). This part is beset by some woeful acting (the cast is clearly uncomfortable speaking English), but its narrative energy is undiminished, delivering a poignant reflection on the challenges faced by China’s rapidly expanding diaspora.

From anger to melancholy

“Mountains May Depart” is an ambitious and hugely rewarding exercise in creative filming and storytelling. Its flexible format evolves over time, shifting from a boxy frame to an ever-wider screen. It confirms Zhangke’s exceptional eye for compositions and his ability to portray the effects of China’s latest great leap forward and its widening wealth gap, a theme he mined with devastating impact in his previous film, “A Touch of Sin”.

While the latter movie bristled with violent anger, the mood here is more melancholic, carried by a superb Zhao Tao. Zhangke’s muse and wife gives a mesmerising performance as Tao, a smiling, bubbly young lady who is gradually worn down by breakup and bereavement. Her wistful exploration of loss and regret was the most emotionally stirring act witnessed at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Like the rest of the film, it was unfortunate to go unrewarded.

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