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The assumption that empathy is a universal emotion

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The assumption that empathy is a universal emotion

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I think a weakness the movie has is that the author could have assumed empathy is a universal emotion where any moviegoer can easily relate to their sufferings. I think this might not necessarily be true. Take our generation for instance. I believe most of the current generation of people have not fallen victim to the ills of civil war. Watching the suffering of the average Chinese citizen can evoke some form of sympathy within me. However, I do struggle to empathize(on a personal/spiritual level) with them.
Edwin Ng

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The effect of Cold War: Sensitive, violent emotions instilled to people  

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The effect of Cold War: Sensitive, violent emotions instilled to people  

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<Minsong Kim>
I think this film shows how people can be sensitive, violent and irrational under the situation of chaos. Under the Cold War, dispute between leftists and rightists was the main interest and internationally the government's policies and acts were acted upon this conflict. And as it is shown in the film, the people of each nations were affected by this. So the world's tension over splitting the camp and identifying the identity of the neighboring countries also affected the ordinary people to be sensitive over the ideology. Socially-induced hatred was provoked and excessive nationalism and patriotism were prevalent. In this way, I think we could relate the society's sensitivity and irrationality by the Cold War with the chaos depicted in the film.

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<Nidhi>
I think a limitation of the film is that it provides a one-sided perspective of a family that experienced extreme loss during the war. Showing the side of for example the government or the soldiers and how the Cold War impacted their lives could maybe have given more insights and given a more balanced telling of the story of the Cold War. There could have been maybe positive elements some people experiences, which were not shown during the film, which makes it maybe a bit 'biased' or as we'd rather say: from just one perspective :)

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It shows us what the Cold War was like for ordinary citizens

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It shows us what the Cold War was like for ordinary citizens

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<Nidhi>
The film helps to show how the Cold War impacted the ordinary citizens in China. It shows the never ending grief and loss of a family, but also the confusion of people as to what is happening and why they are being persecuted. It shows that the people were resilient and willing to fight for their family and for what they believe is right, while also slowly losing hope. I think this film helps us understand the Cold War in Asia through the perspective of a family and more specifically a child, instead of superficially laying out certain facts about the war. I think it is again a collection of memories in addition to the history that helps us understand the humanity of the experience the citizens went through during the war.

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<Nidhi>
This might be cliche, but the ending scene made the most impact on me (which was probably also intended this way). Not just because of the view or the torn blue kite, but also because of how Tietou fought the soldiers and stood up for his mom even though they had a rocky relationship. It also hurt me that Tietou's mom was fighting so hard for the life of her third husband that she was willing to sacrifice her own. She could have just stayed away and kept herself safe, but she wanted to make sure that he was okay, and still she failed, which was hurtful to watch

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there could be families who benefited from these revolutions too?

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there could be families who benefited from these revolutions too?

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Given its intention as a critique, focussing on a bottom up perspective, it fails to present:

the intentions for these policies from the government perspective.

possibly fail to present stories about families that could have benefited from these policies?

It mainly portrayed the government and the soldiers as “confusing”, “brutal”, as they tore families apart (especially in the last scene - where they were violently torn apart, helplessly)

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<Nidhi>
It was a very confusing and scary time for the ordinary citizens in China, but also an oppressive time. People were not allowed to have their own opinions if they were 'counter-revolutionary' and were even killed for that. The film also leaves a feeling of tiredness because no matter how hard the ordinary citizen tries, whenever they find some sort of happiness it gets taken away because of these policies. Every time Tietou's Mom finds happiness due to a new partner he gets killed or dies because of the 'revolutions'. It seems that the grief and sadness is simply never ending and that there is no light at the end of the tunnel. Despite this, the Tietou's familiy still shows resilience and keep fighting until the very end for what they believe is right.

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- It provides alternative memories, stories about broken families, unjust judgments, flippant suspicions and its impact on ordinary lives that were likely not told

- It provides a mirror of the cultural/political identities induced by government / experienced by the chinese

Eg. the need to live in compliant to the government, reverence for president Mao (eg. presence of president Mao’s image in living rooms, bowing to president Mao as part of marriage procedures)

Honorable to sacrifice for the country - eg. instilled through film (Theatric act) in the play the father willing left the family, to get revenge, and the mother comforting the child saying “when youre older, things will be better” - suggesting a fight for a better future.

Yet contrasted with Zhuying being told by her superior - “politics must come first”, and was scolded for having a boyfriend. (This irony suggests criticism present in this film against the chinese govt then)

- ^These realities mirrored are critiqued through the depiction in ways that reveals critical and saddening sentiments against the revolutions - these sentiments by the director likely reflected the sentiments from lost stories then

- The innocent blue kite symbolism could reflect sentiments of hope by the people then as well.

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Naturally it was the last scene, more specifically, the torn blue kite. It brings me to question the reason for the title of the movie, and what does the blue kite symbolise?

Through the movie it was introduced when tietou’s father makes a new one for the kids who’s kite was stuck in the tree, tietou follows after to make a new one for his niece/nephew’s kite that is stuck, at the end a torn kite remains stuck on the tree.

To me it symbolises, the “dream” factor to this film, the blue kite related to a familial trait, for tietou a remembrance of his father, and his kind act. The blue color in contrast to the red theme of the communist party, could symbolise a hope for peace and serenity again admist the unrestful revolutions and constant change they were experiencing. However, this hope seems to be portrayed as being “stuck” (albeit on the tree... viewed with the sky as the backdrop, by tietou, maybe there is still hope?)

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<Minsong Kim>
I thought that because of the censorship of Chinese government, the film doesn't directly show the political issues or criticize the government which is responsible for all the chaos and fluctuations. This could be a good way to show how normal lives of normal people are affected by the political situations but as a foreigner, it was difficult to understand whether their lives are strongly affected because of the lack of background knowledge about the normal lives in China. So I think to stress out the negative side of the government's acts and criticize their actions also to the foreigners, direct description is more effective than the indirect description.

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i feel like this movie is too focused on the societal/ family level and does not provide a very comprehensive view on what had actually happen such as the well the bigger picture of who fought who, who won etc. and the story was perhaps too focused on the story of this one family which i feel could distort the view as each persons experience is unique and thus the movie is not all encompassing and may not reflect the sentiments of all the people which is hard to do. (vera)

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It shaped our perspective in a way to not think about the bigger side of things such as who was fighting who, who won. Those sort of facts that can be seen from a history textbook but instead look at a more smaller scale to the people of the nation, the family. Thus, in this movie, you cannot really understand the content of what was actually happening in the cold war and can only see the effects that this fighting and measures had on this particular family. On a side note, it does show more conservative thinking that men should work and in this case in china their aim and goal is to serve in the party while the women took on more domesticated roles such as caring for the family and well-being a teacher. This does reflect the old school thinking that was perpetuated during the cold war. (vera)

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Confusion and displacements (big family, small family alike)

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Confusion and displacements (big family, small family alike)

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As a nation (big family), china was experiencing revolutions, in my view, it seems more like “experimentations” of policies as China explores its identity and development as a communist nation.

All these amidst the global bipolar and china trying to find its own place as part of the leftist.

The confusion and displacement as a nation (big family) trickles down into confusion and displacement amongst the ordinary people (small families)

Confusion was depicted through the character - zhuying, a girl who lived in fear and confusion, was arrested, then released, yet never fully understanding why.

Displacement was depicted when families were pulled apart because of the arrests as well as the calls to serve and sacrifice for the nation (this was depicted in the theatre play acted to the soldiers, where the government called for small families to sacrifice for the big family (take revenge for the country))

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To me the most powerful scene in the movie is when the uncles girlfriend was captured away. Although they were just side characters. Without given cause, simply that she was flaming "counter revolutionary thoughts", she was taken away to prison. This plus the contextual back story of why this happened – because she did not want to" dance " with the higher ups and of her love for the uncle which the other see as not favourable to her trying to get in the party. Even though she merely wanted to engage further in her studies. You can really see here how women was viewed in the colonial past, how they are viewed as possessions? Well I guess similarly and also different to comfort woman in the past. This really perpetuates the gender discrimination especially for women which unfortunately statistics show that this gender discrimination gap as seen by wages of men and women although has shrink but has yet to be solved till today. (vera)

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Ordinary people had suffered under the cold war.

Certain people were subjected to reeducation camps and labour camps. On the grounds of going against the communist party but most of the times they do not do this on purpose but are dragged into it. For example tietou father was sent to the work camp simply because he went to the toilet when they had the meeting on who to send to meet the quota issued by the party/Mao.

Due to this family are broken apart and you can see how the people are most often than not directly impacted by what the people in the party do.

The women and especially that of shujuan (tietou mother) are sort of force into marrying a husband just to ensure the safety and well to give them money to be able to survive. Ultimately when it came down to the 3rd marriage you can see that the love isnt there ( as compared to her first husband shaolong).  The sort of helplessness, the vulnerability that shujuan have against what was happening to her husbands and the situation at that time is also portrayed clearly in the movie. (vera)

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The Blue Kite is a film that blends the history of a family into the Chinese period. It depicts the chaotic period of the Cultural Revolution after China's Great Leap Forward through the eyes of a child. The first father is driven to the right wing and killed, the second father dies of hard labor and malnutrition during the Great Leap Forward, and the third father is killed by the Red Guards.
This setting expresses the situation of the times in China through the family history of the people. It shows the chaos and uncertainty that ordinary people had to go through with unexpected events, as if walking through a fog. (Minji Lee)

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I think the most powerful scene in the film is when Tietou's father and his colleagues meet at the library to decide whom they will have to report to the Communist Party as rightists. It was truly awful to see him becoming the scapegoat of Mao's regime simply because he took a short break. Additionally, it reminds me of South Korea's 5.18 Gwangju uprising, where innocent people were tortured and sentenced to death.
<Taelim>

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The film is significant in that it provides a detailed look at the lives of ordinary people during the Cold War. However, due to the nature of digging into details, sometimes I feel loose until it reach the climax. Also, I think it would have been better if it had contained the thoughts and narratives of various people, even if it was the same event. If we had a little more variation in variables such as gender and age, we would have been able to get a richer picture of how the context of this era affected each person.
(Minji Lee)

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So far, when discussing the Cold War, it has been a confrontation between the Allied powers in the capitalist system and the republics in the communist system, which lasted from the time the Truman Doctrine was declared until the dissolution of the Soviet Union. It was very macroscopic and focused on the political aspect.
However, the film revolves around a 'family history' in a time of chaos. I noticed the impact on ordinary people during the Cold War.
It also showed family solidarity even in the midst of a gloomy atmosphere. What I notice is that this narrative was developed from the perspective of a 'child'.
Through the eyes of a child, it effectively captures the lives of ordinary people without any interests. Through this film, we gain an appreciation of how each individual manages to sustain a system of ethics in a society that periodically overturns ethical systems.
(Minji Lee)

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There is an unforgettable scene related to the post-revolutionary unrest. Tietou's father, a librarian, was branded a reactionary when he went to the bathroom for a while during a meeting with employees. As a result, they are exiled to a collective farm for "re-education", and the entire family faces a drastic change of fate.
It shows how history and politics destroy the ordinary lives of individuals. Rather than any major event, the scene is memorable as it shows the sudden change of fate in everyday life.
The fact that it is expressed through the 'daily life' that takes place in the space with the courtyard as the central background is an element that makes it more immersive.
(Minji Lee)

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I felt that the movie was slightly on the longer/draggy side. There were times where I was disengaged because we were just going through Tie Tou's life which I already expected it to be chaotic and tumultuous. However, I have also came to a realisation that perhaps this is how people lived their lives back then, waiting for the chaos to end and having to trudge through every second till the revolution ended, without knowing where the end really is. (xinyi)

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The movie provides insight into the social and political climate of China during that time, though it did not depict the political leaders/that point of view. It showcases how political movements influenced the lives of everyday citizens. Through the storytelling of Tie Tou and his family, we can also experience the disruptions and challenges faced by individuals as they navigate the changing landscape. I think it is not a great film to look into the historical facts of the revolution, but it does a great job shedding light on the lives of people at that time. (xinyi)

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Throughout the movie, the blue kite was something that Tie Tou treasured heavily. To me, it symbolised a childlikeness and hopefulness, the wish to be free like a kite flying through the sky. When the movie showed that the blue kite was torn and stuck on the tree, it felt like it was a point where the character truly realised that his dreams were destroyed and a moment to represent that the harshness of reality finally hit. (xinyi)

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The movie brought us through the revolution which led to the persecution and purging of many citizens, including those of Tie Tou's relatives. It showed how traumatic and disruptive political turmoil was to innocent everyday lives. There is also a sense of hopelessness as citizens do not have control over the situation, a situation that they did not play a part in, yet they were forced to live with whatever was going on in their nation. (xinyi)

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Despite the uncertainty and complexity of living during political turmoil, the family shows determination and resilience to overcome the situation. I believe the source of this resilience among these people comes from their strong sense of family, which the film portrays effectively. This is exemplified in the scene where the family gathers at the table in the grandmother's dining room, always coming together to find solace and support.
<Taelim>

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It provides us a human-centric perspective of the effects of the Cold War in Asia on society.

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It provides us a human-centric perspective of the effects of the Cold War in Asia on society.

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Because the film focusses on individual characters and the neighbourhood community rather than bringing in major political figures, the film gives us a chance to step into the shoes of the people living in Dry Well Lane: to understand their hopes, their fears, what brings them joy, and what suffering they experienced as a result of CCP policies and the regime. Given that the filmmaker himself was subjected to persecution and suffering during the time, especially during the Cultural Revolution, it gives the film a sense of trustworthiness in its ability to capture the human experience of the Cold War in Asia. (Pav)

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A limitation of such film will be a less detailed explanation of the death of the first and second husband. For the death of first husband, there is too much to infer from and his death was only mentioned by a few words. The director could discuss the implications of his death in depth and therefore bring out a clearer picture or the result of communism. The film can also bring in discussion or the point of view from ShuJuan who was considered the most tragic character in the film. The film could then discuss her stance as a woman during that era. The movie's focus was mainly on the men but women - the more they need to bare during that time - handling a child, marriage and taking care of the family together with the communism force on them making their life more difficult. So the film can be a focus from both men and woman perspective.

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The lack of emphasis makes reality, but...

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The lack of emphasis makes reality, but...

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The running time is long because there is no emphasis on solving the narrative, and it is difficult to watch the movie in an immersive manner. The natural capture of the daily lives of the characters increased the sense of reality. However, this makes the development of the movie a little loose.

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I think because the film doesn’t go into detail about the exact politics or set of beliefs, it can be confusing for outside viewers. However, I don’t think this is necessarily a strict limitation as I don’t think that was the purpose of the film. Perhaps one of its biggest limitations is the fact that it was banned in China. As an artistic telling of a traumatic time in China’s history, it was very moving and thought provoking. I wonder what would have happened if it was not banned in China. How would the people react if it came out at the time it was made? Would it have any effect in the country? I also think because it was so acclaimed in the West, it could be seen as a great film only from that perspective. If it wasn’t banned, perhaps there would be a different viewpoint. (Victoria Samotis)

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Tietou's father being stigmatized as the rightist by his colleagues 

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Tietou's father being stigmatized as the rightist by his colleagues 

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<Minsong Kim>
Tietou's father just lived through his normal life, devoting to the social movement, 'Baihua movement' by sincerely criticizing the aspect of the group he belongs to as people were encouraged to express criticism of the boss and the method of the operating system. However because of the change of movement to the Anti-rightist movement, he was condemned as a rightist and sent off to the countryside to work in slave-labor campus. I was quite surprised how such fluctuation and chaos of the country could influence the life of a normal, faithful man and his families.

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This movie gives us a good understanding of the daily lives of citizens and their pain during the Cold War. There is no particular direction or emphasis on the way the movie shows the lives of the characters. In this way of directing, we can feel the lives of people at that time more realistically.
Paradoxically, we can feel greater sadness in it because the film did not use any dramatic production. Through this, I think movies contribute to our deep understanding and empathy for the lives of citizens during the Cold War.

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I think this story can tell one truth about the Cold War in China. I’m sure many Chinese people might feel certain relatability if they’ve seen the film, whether they’ve experienced them firsthand or secondhand through hearing others’ experiences. However, I think it doesn’t offer us the State’s perspective. It is a story about how the external influenced the internal, rather than how inner workings of politics, culture, etc. created this moment in time. And, it may not be a relatable experience for many other ordinary families that lived through the Cold War in China. It’s one side of the story, a zoomed in lens on a bigger picture. (Victoria Samotis)

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While I think one of the most impactful scenes is the last scene when Tietou is beaten, the one that really struck a chord with me was the conversation between Tietou’s mother and the army actress before she’s arrested. Through the actresses’ performances, the fear and vulnerability representative of the ordinary people of China during this time. She expresses her own uncertainty on what to do, what will happen to her, and the hopelessness of her arrest. Then, when she’s released at the end of the movie, her appearance and demeanor is completely different. It’s shocking to see as an audience because it seems all the fight has left her. (Victoria Samotis)

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Reflection of China's stance in Cold War. 

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Reflection of China's stance in Cold War. 

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To begin with a narrow scope, the movie reflects on china's background during that period - Cultural revolution. The main idea of cultural revolution was to preserve Chinese communism by purging remnants of capitalist and traditional elements from Chinese society. Moving to a broader picture - Cold War - which was a clash between capitalism and communism - an ideological rivalry between countries. It can be seen that china during that period was trying to copy/borrow the idea of the USSR through purifying communism and going against the capitalism. In the film USSR was mentioned and there a scene where steamed buns were being confiscated "all should be equal" quote in the movie also suggest that the China was pro to communism and thus the film was showing the stance of china in the Cold War. But is communism really good for China and is it good for the people? I doubt so. With all the events happen and the tragedy took place in the event - a movement that is too extreme. China being a quite powerful country during that time could possibly represent Asia's stance on communism vs capitalism.

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The film seems to portray a family that experiences grief, loss, and fear based on the external factors of their environment. I think whether they agreed with what was happening or not isn’t the point: the characters were in a constant state of unease as the political environment began to interfere in their daily lives. Even the landlord, who seemed to not take a strong political stance one way or another ran into trouble and they turned her into an example of what happens if you stepped out of line. As the film went on, it was clear that they seemed to lose control of what happened to their loved ones and what happened to them. The political narrative overtook the happy family we saw in the beginning. (Victoria Samotis)

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The most impressive scene in this film is the scene where the blue kite was torn at the end of the movie. After Tietou’s stepfather was taken away by people, Tietou and his mother were also taken away by them. And movie showed the scene in which a blue kite was torn. I though that the kite symbolized the lives of the Chinese people at the time. It seemed to express the lives of Chinese people, who were devastated by the change in the ideological system.

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Blue Kite only shows one story of the myriad of Cold War stories that exist. On one hand, this assures that the story will be given justice. It doesn't aim to tell the story of the Cold War. Instead, it aims to tell the story of one family. On the other hand however, it skips out on numerous historical details and does not allow the audience to get a very good idea of what the Cold War is and was like.

On a different note, I personally found it a little hard to get into the film at first. It started out quite slow in my opinion and didn't really have a build up to a high climax. As the movie progressed though and I got attached to some characters, the film started to capture my attention and I really appreciated it in the end. (Reneé Tan)

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The Cold War is a large and important part of world history that affected many countries around the world. Inevitably, stories and information about the Cold War commonly focuses on the disputes between the Americans and the Soviets. Thus, it was refreshing to see a film that takes a different point of view. It shows how interconnected our world is. That we may be miles apart from each other, but what is happening in one country will inevitably find its way to affect another one. Despite China's distance to both countries, taking sides and having allies connects the country and many others as well.

On another note, it's important to acknowledge that the film only showed such a small part of history. While I do not think this takes away from the films message, it does not provide an overview of historical facts on the cold war. With this in mind, it contributes to our understanding by zooming in on ordinary people's lives during the war. It takes an emotional instead of historical approach to the portrayal of the cold war. I think that with films like this, you have to take it for what it is. You do not necessarily have to discount it for lacking in historical evidence. This film was about lives and some films are about world events. I believe you can appreciate both and learn from both in different ways. (Reneé Tan)

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One of the scenes that struck me the most was when the men were having a meeting in the library to vote out one man to the committee. Tietou's father coincidentally used that time to go to the restroom. When he returns to the room, everyone is staring at him - which to me was quite chilling. As an audience member, you are put in the shoes of the character. You realize along with him that in your absence, your name has been voted. I found this incredibly striking because it puts into perspective the effect of war on people. That in one split moment your entire life will change - and this change can cost your life.

In my opinion, the scene was executed in a powerful way - one that evokes emotions of fear and uncertainty. It helps you to understand the character's emotion by putting you in his shoes and showing you his perspective. The scene really made me reflect on the immense effect of the war and how it can find anyone in anyway. (Reneé Tan)

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At that time, ordinary Chinese people spent scary days in the face of violence called revolution without knowing what they might be in the future. It was also common for women to remarry because husbands often died early, as Tietou's mother did in the movie. As such, ordinary people in China at the time lived as victims of violence in fear that their families could be disbanded.

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Firstly, war and freedom take a new meaning. War is not exclusive to the usual definition that comes to mind - violence, guns, bombing, and military. While the film depicts some snips of the strictness of military rule, it is not your usual war film that features soldiers in battle. The film allows the audience to realize that freedom also means having the privilege and liberty to make your own decisions for you and the ones you love.

Second, the film shows that at the end of the day, ordinary people is every people = because everyone is ordinary. No matter what you do in life, war finds it way to affect you. The film shows us that the experience of war can also be something that people adapt to; that it isn't a passing phase. Instead, it is a forever changing point in their lives. It's a new normal that changes a nation forever. (Reneé Tan)

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I feel that it was a really sad tragedy that a woman like ShuJuan has to go through three marriage and each didnt go well under the cultural revolution period. It was striking to see how each of the husband died and the pain Shujuan has to go through for the rest of her life. Moreover, her second husband died during Chinese new year which is suppose to be the most prosperous event of the year. The striking imbalance of happiness and sadness ShuJuan has to endure that day. For her first husband it was nothing but a letter, and tears rolling down her cheek spoke to me. Her last husband's sudden heart attack - a reflection of the cultural revolution - is striking in a way of how hopeless these men and women were during that era.

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Hopelessness and the inability to choose their fate. 

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Hopelessness and the inability to choose their fate. 

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To begin with, the film used a third person narrative from the main character (Tie tou)'s point of view in telling the stories. The film background was during the period of cultural revolution. The ordinary people had no choice at times but to attend the meeting and listen to the speech of being a communist society. Moreover it suggest the helplessness of the public. To narrow down the scope, my focus will be on the ShuJuan the female character. She represented the nation of that time from a woman's point of view. It is a tragedy that she has to go thru 3 marriage which all falls the fault of cultural revolution. It also suggest that the fate of these people are not controlled by themselves but was being forced to accept their fate during that period of time

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(Edwin Loh)
In my humble opinion, I believe that this film lacks a clear sense of direction and purpose. While it attempts to depict different chapters of Tietou's life, it falls short in conveying a compelling objective beyond showcasing the life of an ordinary person during the Cold War. If the intention was to educate the audience about that historical period, then perhaps it succeeds to some extent, but it becomes uninteresting in doing so. On the other hand, if the film aimed to portray the injustice of the Cold War and evoke certain emotions in the viewer, it fails to achieve that goal.

This film could serve as a valuable educational resource, but it lacks the thought-provoking and emotionally stirring elements necessary to truly engage the audience and make them empathize with the characters and their struggles. To evoke a stronger emotional response, the film could have delved deeper into the tortures suffered by Tietou's father and the experiences of those who perished around him. It could have also dedicated more time to showcasing the hardships faced by Tietou and his family in the absence of a father figure, such as the rampant famine that characterized that period, which is not adequately emphasized in the film.

By addressing these aspects more effectively, the film could have evoked a greater sense of injustice and stirred the audience's emotions, making them more invested in the story and the experiences of the characters.

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Sufficient to Inform, Insufficient to Educate/Satisfy the Curious Mind

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Sufficient to Inform, Insufficient to Educate/Satisfy the Curious Mind

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(Edwin Loh)
The film's perspective on the Cold War is somewhat limited, particularly for someone with no prior knowledge of that historical period. It focuses on presenting the ordinary life of Tietou from a one-dimensional viewpoint. However, to gain a comprehensive understanding of the Cold War, alternative perspectives are essential. Exploring the motivations of those who ardently supported the revolution is crucial. Were they driven by fear or did they benefit from favorable government positions? Tietou's aunt and the group that hunted down counter-revolutionaries can provide insights into their fervor and their willingness to falsely accuse innocent individuals.

Additionally, it would be valuable to examine the political landscape from the viewpoint of the politicians within the Party at that time. Understanding Mao's objectives, however brutal they may have been, can shed light on whether his methods were effective or if there were other viable alternatives in their eyes. Finally, exploring the perspective of the counter-revolutionaries would provide insight into what compelled them to bravely fight for what we now perceive as the "right" cause, despite the certainty of severe punishment, even death.

By incorporating these multiple perspectives, a more holistic understanding of the Cold War can be achieved. While the film effectively portrays the perspective of ordinary individuals who endured unfairness and powerlessness, it offers just one facet of the complex historical narrative.

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(Edwin Loh)
One particular scene that struck me the most was when Tietou held a fake paper gun and said, "kill this bad dad," unaware that it would be the last time he would see his father. This scene struck me on multiple levels. Firstly, it highlighted the brutality and significance of the Cold War, foreshadowing Tietou's father's mysterious death and the fact that his body would never be found. Secondly, it served as a poignant reminder for us to cherish our loved ones. While disagreements may arise, we should never take them for granted or harbor thoughts of removing them from our lives. Lastly, it emphasized the innate innocence of children. Regardless of the context, whether it's the Cold War era or the present day, children remain unaware of the world's complexities and approach life with innocence and a desire for simple pleasures. Tietou's primary concern was finding playmates, oblivious to the hardships faced by the adults around him.

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(Edwin Loh)
It is common for ordinary people to live their lives without knowing what the future holds or when they might face unforeseen dangers – such as the fear of false accusations leading to imprisonment in reform camps, and possibly death. Individuals navigate their existence by focusing on and striving to fulfill their roles within society and their families, and can only hope that they will not become innocent victims of the flawed system. This struggle is reflected in the choices made by characters like Zhu Ying, who left the military to protect the man she loves, and Tietou's stepfather, who divorced his mother due to the imminent risk of arrest.

Given such circumstances, it is understandable that people often live day-to-day, focusing on their immediate responsibilities. They don't have the luxury of pursuing far-fetched dreams or passions, as their primary concern is simply to survive. This sense of aimlessness is evident throughout the movie, where many individuals appear to be going through the motions without a clear sense of purpose.

As a side note, Tietou's mother remarried three times – this seemed to be a common practice during that era where their husbands died early/frequently. Perhaps remarrying was driven by the need for a "father" figure to perform traditionally masculine tasks within the family. This desire for support and stability may have stemmed from fear and uncertainty, as mothers sought the involvement of men in raising their children together.

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Film helps us understand the past to a significant extent

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Film helps us understand the past to a significant extent

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The Blue Kite contributed to our understanding of the Cold War in Asia to a significant extent. During the Cold War, China wanted to create a communist utopia under Mao Ze Dong. Although it was a melodramatic film narrated by one single family, it was based on accurate historical events/details, such as the Great Leap Forward movement and Cultural Revolution. From collective memories, people genuinely suffered during this period, which justifies the filmmaker’s intentions of using melodrama and a singular perspective to tell a narrative of the Cold War’s impacts on China. Besides, it was precisely the use of melodrama that enabled us to see another version of history – one that was fuelled with daily struggles & hardships – that may be censored by China’s authority (CCP).

The controversial aspect of The Blue Kite also enabled me to understand Cold War in Asia through the perspective of the film industry, specifically how China fought ruthlessly for its power and national identity through the banning of films. Chinese authorities desired patriotic films contrary to the perceived ‘anti-government’ sentiments produced by The Blue Kite in an attempt to achieve prosperity and stability. This speaks volumes about China’s ways of navigating the political challenges caused by the Cold War.

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During the Cold War, countries had to take sides to consolidate power/be autonomous. This created a new form of bipolarity – socialism versus capitalism – that China followed to win against superpowers like the US/Great Britain. As a result, the state's priorities take precedence over the welfare of the people, leading to the erosion of their personal autonomy and freedom of expression. As ordinary people in China lived in such an environment, politics inevitably permeated every aspect of their quotidian lives. This was depicted in Shujuan’s failed marriages due to the unfair deaths of the male figures: how Shaolong was sent for re-education and killed by a fallen tree, how Guodong died of famine due to the Great Leap Forward movement, and how Laowu suffered a heart attack from the guards during the Cultural Revolution. The multitude of these deaths evidently impacted Shujuan’s personal life, and it was all due to politics!!! After watching the film, I felt that ordinary people in China cannot escape from politics even if they try to. It becomes their fate, and they just must survive in such an environment. Even if I didn’t want the film to end with the inevitable separation of Tietou’s family, I had no choice but to accept such injustice. As a viewer, I felt passive and helpless at the end, which may also mirror how ordinary people in China felt during that period of political turmoil.

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How effective was The Blue Kite as an endeavour to eliminate political oppression afflicting the Chinese people, considering the censorship imposed by authorities?

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How effective was The Blue Kite as an endeavour to eliminate political oppression afflicting the Chinese people, considering the censorship imposed by authorities?

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The filmmaker intended for the film to eliminate political oppression among the Chinese and subsequently achieve liberalisation of the people. However, it was banned in China, raising issues of human rights & freedom of expression. Following events like the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre also occurred, revealing the government’s brutality; therefore, the political system itself is still a vicious cycle of oppressive governance. In light of these circumstances, how effective were films during that period, such as The Blue Kite, as an endeavour to eliminate political oppression afflicting the Chinese people?

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Definitely the ending scene because I could witness and really understand the symbol of the blue kite. In the beginning, the blue kite carried positive connotations of happiness, childhood and freedom. Then, it was portrayed to be stuck in a tree. However, towards the end, it was depicted to be torn, evoking a sense of irreversible loss. I thought this was symbolic of how politics influenced peoples' lives – how they initially had happy aspirations, but because of politics, they were eventually destroyed.

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Questioning the reality of remarrying thrice

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Questioning the reality of remarrying thrice

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I had tried to do some research on the norms / beliefs on marriage in China during that period but could not find any satisfactory information.

Not sure how accurate the film is when Tietou's mother remarried twice, and would like to know if this was a common occurrence or perhaps a cooked-up tale (Yi Qiang)

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Great insight into the lives of ordinary Chinese citizens

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Great insight into the lives of ordinary Chinese citizens

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To most people, the Cold War mainly involved the US v the Soviets, with China rarely coming to mind. The lives lived by the US and Soviet people are commonly known, hence this film effectively depicted a concise snapshot during the period.

From its cinematography to character emphasis, the film brought to life the authentic and uncensored struggles that Chinese citizens had to endure (Yi Qiang)

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The scene encapsulated the clash of the traditional values held by the adults and the revolutionary fervor experienced by the youth at the time.

Before the scene was played, the film showed Tietou's school principal being manhandled by the students, and eventually getting her hair forcefully cut off. When Tietou recounted the scenario to his mother, she immediately slapped him, almost showing an involuntary reaction.

I believe that Tietou's mother could not believe that such an outrageous incident could take place, let alone her son partaking in the event. (Yi Qiang)

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All citizens felt the wrath of Mao, no matter their occupation / actions

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All citizens felt the wrath of Mao, no matter their occupation / actions

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The film following the experiences of Tietou and his mother throughout the tubulous period in China. Tietou's mother went through 3 marriages in the film, the first to a librarian, the second to the former's colleague, and last to an ex-military man who served for Mao's caused.

All three men met a common fate of being at mercy to Mao's policies, with the first husband eventually ending up dead in a work camp due to his criticism of the government. As all men were of various stature, this emphasizes Mao's ruthless regime of eliminating any citizen who dared to show even the slightest disobedience (Yi Qiang)

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Adapting to the chaos in their normal lives

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Adapting to the chaos in their normal lives

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<Minsong Kim>
The background of the movie consists of the era of anti-rightist movement, Great Leap Forward, and the Cultural Revolution. In this era of cataclysm, ordinary people had to adapt to either direct or indirect influences of the government's policies and acts. For example, in the film, Tietou and his mom had to consistently figure out the way to live on their own as his father had to be kept changed due to the circumstances affected by the government.
Also, we could know that at every turning points, there are changes in the lifestyle and the actions of the mobs. For example, as China underwent through the Cultural Revolution, extreme and violent hatred was rampant especially among young people. Also, in the period of Great Leap Forward movement, Tietou's mom had to work outside due to famine and poverty.
So to conclude, I think the film tell us that ordinary people experienced the Cold War in their affected normal lives, and by adapting to it.

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Shalong (Pu Quanxin) was a good librarian, a faithful employee who is one day called to a meeting as part of the Rectification Movement, in which those with right-wing tendencies must be identified. There was a quota, and the library had not met it. Shalong unwisely leaves the meeting to go to the toilet, and when he returns, all of the eyes in the room are turned to him. He pauses in the doorway and in a chilling instant realizes he chose the wrong time to leave the room. Shaolong never had the opportunity to explain his absence before being sentenced to this harsh punishment. This scence also goes to show that unlucky circumstances can ruin one’s man life forever, even if one has no political opinion/allegiance for/against the state ideology.
Edwin Ng

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Personally, I get restless at slow films or films without any highlight event/climax. This film was one that fit the bill as it was just how Tietou lived life throughout the uncertainty. There was no notable bad guys/drama.

Also, I question whether this film is representative of the hardships suffered by families during the period. I kind of get that families might be separated by the regime, but I think there remains a whole lot more to be painted of the regime policies.

(Angus)

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Nice overview of China's history from the ground level. But I will like to see more diverse perspectives. 

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Nice overview of China's history from the ground level. But I will like to see more diverse perspectives. 

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To me, this movie gives me a good perspective from the ground level how the Chinese people endured the turbulent times.

However, to make the movie better, I think some screen time should be given to the ruling political elite, particularly Mao Zedong. The move can reveal how Mao rationalizes the Cultural Revolution as the best step forward into China’s future. I like to believe that every major leader who deeply cares for their country does not intentionally desire to inflict undue pain on its people. I think it will be good if we can see a glimpse on how Mao internalizes China’s position in the Cold War and act in a way that he thinks is the best for his country.

Edwin Ng

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I have always viewed the Cold War as tensions that existed politically solely between nations, but never really grasp its impact on a nation's smallest unit - families. And I think this film really turned my eyes onto the forgotten families that are affected the most during the Cold War. When stuff happens between nations, its effects are likely to spillover and affect the families within that nation. But I also realised that there is a silver lining in conflict as the strength and solidarity of a family is being highlighted. As portrayed in this film, through the tumultuous change, the only constant has been the strength of family. Family members each stepped in and supported one another during times of need.

(Angus)

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Tietou asking his mother how long is she going to return

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Tietou asking his mother how long is she going to return

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That scene was really simple but to me, it showcased Tietou's longing for his mom beneath his unusually cool demeanour upon realising he was going to be seperated with his mother. He went on to ask how long is 3 months and how many days are in 90 days? I really enjoyed the subtle yet powerful longing that was displayed in that scene. It showed that no matter how strong a child is, there is that closeness and desire to be with his Mother.

(Angus)

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The Chinese people swept up by the ills of political ideology 

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The Chinese people swept up by the ills of political ideology 

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This movie recounts the ill effects of the Cultural Revolution through the lens Tietou and his family living in Beijing. During the cultural war, they had to go through much hardship created by supporters of Mao (the red guard).

From the average Chinese citizen's perspective, they have realized that any perceived slight against the Chinese government is enough of a reason to be punished by the Red Guard. The uncertainty surrounding the mob mentality the red guard possessed created much fear and anguish among the people.

From the perspective of Tietou, the movie shows the decay of the traditional Confucian values the country was once proud of through strained family relationships. The 1st marriage Tietou mum had ended when her husband succumbed to illness caused by forced labor by the government. The 2nd marriage failed due to political ideology differences between Tietou mum and her husband.
(Edwin Ng)

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My heart really felt for Tietou after watching the film. To grow up in such a fragmented household where your loved ones just come and go and not knowing when you are going to see them again must be frustrating. I think it reflected the degree of uncertainty of living under the regime, whereby you never know what tomorrow really holds. The unpredictability and ruthlessness of the party seems awfully frightening to me, but somehow the film managed to portray the characters to be strangely calm and strong. I think it reflected the strength of the chinese people that lived through the harshness of Mao, and possibly the fact that acceptance is a strangely effective way to deal with suffering, especially those that you cannot change.

(Angus)

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Historically, it is true that China was in line with the Cold War at that time. However, there seems to be a limitation in the film that it does not directly describe why the Cold War affected their lives. YC

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At the end of the movie, the scene where Tietou's mother was taken by the Red Guards and Tietou confronted the Red Guards to save his mother was the most shocking. It was very shocking to know that the Red Guards laid Tietou down and began to step on him, which was a stark description of Chinese history. YC

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Ordinary Chinese citizens had very hard lives during the Cold War. The Cold War period was a time when China faced various changes, and the citizens who lived during this time had undergone a turbulent period.
Through the Great Leap Forward Movement and the Cultural Revolution, citizens had to live under excessive violence, surveillance, and oppression. This movie shows these facts clearly. YC

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Nobody is spared from the same fate under the Communist regime

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Nobody is spared from the same fate under the Communist regime

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The film shows the impact of the communist party policy on ordinary people's life. It shows the struggles they have to face during adversity and the Chinese culture of strong family blood ties and community spirit in helping them cope with the external adversities they face. This can be from the celebration of Chinese New Year through exchanging of gifts and firecrackers, to the playful times that Tietou had in his school.

It also shows that nobody is spared from death under the communist rule. Whether you're a librarian who follows all the rules, an army personnel working hard for the communist party, or a party official. Perhaps it sounds a bit extreme, but it made me felt that life was worthless during that period and death was a part and parcel of life that people learned to accept under the communist regime. From the purging during the Anti Rightist Movement, famine during Great Leap Forward and denouncing during Cultural Revolution, death is being accepted as a need for the country to move forward. (Shu Liang)

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Understanding the mundane life and struggles of an average person in communist China

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Understanding the mundane life and struggles of an average person in communist China

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The film never shows any political leader or communist party. It purely depicts how the life of an ordinary citizen is played out during the 3 periods of the film. From the oppression of the government where people are sent to reformation camp, seizing of assets to be transferred under the government ownership, to the death by malnourishment of the 2nd husband. It depicts the hardship and the story told from the perspective of a typical family during that time, how the policies of the party trickled down and affected the lives of the people.

The film helps to understand the hardship that people faced during Mao's communist regime. Especially for the Chinese people, where this part of history is heavily censored, it helps to remind the people of the struggles and how dictatorship with no forward policy planning can affect the livelihood of the whole nation. (Shu Liang)

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I am generally impressed by this film. The only point of critique that I would have is that the film took off slowly, in that it introduced many characters at the same time, making it hard to understand what exactly is going on. I was really impressed by the ending chapter 'stepfather', and I would not have minded if that chapter would have been longer.

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To me this film is a good first glance on post-WO2 China. It showed the different phases that the country went through under Mao, with times of enthousiasm, material hardship and hysteric purging. Also it shows life in different milieus, as the Tietou moves from a courtyard house to the house of a more elite party member.

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While nowadays this film is mainly seen as a highly political film, as a critique to the Chinese regime of those days, I think (/guess) the writer intended it to be more of a family drama, focusing on Tietou (and his mother) with a rotating patriarch figure around him. This is similar to The Unbearable Lightness of Being, which is nowadays seen as a highly political book, while the author argued that it was more about the triviality of ordinary life, with romance, jealousy and everyday worries, and that life just goes on even under socialist authoritarianism. The fact that the 1988 film version focused more on these trivialities of life, making it more of a romantic film than a highly political one, shows that the interpretation of a film/book can say more about the time we live in now, than the time in which it was made.

The scene that struck me most was when the stepdad firmly spoke to Tietou when he knocked over his rice bowl. It showed the difficult relation the two had, whilst also showing that even though the stepdad appears to be well off, he still eats the rice that the boy knocked over as it are no times to let food go to waste.
The different fathers had different relations with the boy, and, for me, this was what struck me most about this film.

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The revolution is responsible for the tearing apart of many relations in this film. The father is sent away and dies, the 'uncle' is malnourished and overstrained due to work, and the 'stepdad' is a victim of the cultural revolution. Also the revolution tears apart the family of the mother, as there are internal tensions between siblings due to differences in attitudes, with one being very party loyal, and another being more critical.

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Being sentenced to manual labour just for going for a toilet break at the wrong time.

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Being sentenced to manual labour just for going for a toilet break at the wrong time.

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As part of a meeting at the library in relation to the Anti-Rightist movement, during which the library leader calls for those who are rightists to be purged from the company, we see Shaolong choose the wrong moment to leave for a toilet break. Despite his honest mistake, he is immediately denounced as a rightist and not given the chance to defend himself. This scene was especially powerful for me because it shone a light on just how black-and-white and unforgiving the CCP policies were, and how in the blink of an eye, ordinary people's lives could be changed forever. (Pav)

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From the film, we come to understand how life in both the private sphere (family life) and public sphere (work life) was heavily controlled and affected by the rule of the CCP and the policies of the time. At the same time however, we see glimpses of mundane everyday life in the gaps between periods of turmoil and instability. For example, after referencing the "three bad years where there was nothing to eat" (The Great Famine), we see that the family was able to enjoy dumplings and celebrate the New Year with lanterns. Although these moments of mundanity and simplicity are short-lived, they highlight the positive, forward-looking mindset of the ordinary people during the Cold War, who held onto the hope that despite bad times, there would eventually be good times to follow. (Pav)