12° FESTIVAL INTERNAZIONALE CINEMA GIOVANI
Feature Film Competition 1994
HEI SHAN LU
by Zhou Xiaowne
Country: China
Year: 1990
Duration: 99'
Black Mountain, directed in 1990, was banned and approved in 1994. During the Second World War, an abandoned foreign mission becomes the refuge for an old oneeyed man, a young woman who has been forced to marry him, and a foreign dog. One night some guests take refuge in that pace. Among the guests are two brothers. The following morning, they go on their way and are attacked by some bandits led by the oneeyed man, who killed. The two brothers return the former mission and force the woman to remain there. They transform the place into their own base. The elder brother wants to sleep with the woman, but she refuses him. Later, however, she has to yield to his violence, and he rapes her The woman falls in love with the younger brother. The younger brother falls in love too, but has to look out for the violent jealousy of the older brother. The older brother decides to give up the woman, but when he finds his brother and her making love one day, he beats them savagely. In the meantime, the Japanese are building a road that is to reach the mission. By now the two brothers are rivals. Even though they have a common enemy to fight, they fight with each other. During a Japanese attack, the mountain goes up in flames, first the woman, and then the two men lose their lives. The foreign mission is reduced to a heap of ashes.
Biography
film director
Zhou Xiaowen
Bom in 1954, Zhou Xiaowen enrolled in Beijing Film Academy in 1973. Two years later, he was assigned to Xi'an studios. In 1986 he directed his first feature, In Their Prime. The film was banned, Zhou turned to more "commercial" subject-matter and made action movie. During the events of 1989, he began to prepare Jiuxia (Nine Summers), but the production was cancelled. He instead directed Black Mountain (1990), an allegory about the sexes, which was also banned and approved in 1994. In the wake of these frustrating experiences, Zhou made more commercial films before deciding to finance himself the production of Ermo.
FILMOGRAFIA
In Their Prime (1986), Desperation (1987), Obsession (1989), Black Mountain (1990), No Regrets about You (1991), The Impulse of Youth (1992), The Trial (1992), Lie Detector (1993), Ermo (1994).
Cast
& Credits
Director and director of photography: Zhou Xiaowen.
Screenplay: Zhou Jianxin, Zhou Xiaowen.
Music: Zhao Jiping.
Cast: Ai Liya, Xie Yuan, Zhao Xiaorui.
Production company: Xian Film Studio, Xiying Lu 70, Xian, China 710054, tel. 5262526.
Foreign sales agent: China Film Import Export Corporation, 25 Xinwai Street, 10010 Beijing, China, tel. 2254488, fax 2251044.
Screenplay: Zhou Jianxin, Zhou Xiaowen.
Music: Zhao Jiping.
Cast: Ai Liya, Xie Yuan, Zhao Xiaorui.
Production company: Xian Film Studio, Xiying Lu 70, Xian, China 710054, tel. 5262526.
Foreign sales agent: China Film Import Export Corporation, 25 Xinwai Street, 10010 Beijing, China, tel. 2254488, fax 2251044.
