Recently, the Chinese film industry is definitely a hot manufacturing machine. But in the hot spots, there is still one message worth talking about.
On February 16, the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival opened, and the domestic film "Academy of Arts" was shortlisted for the main competition unit and competed for the Golden Bear Award, and surprisingly -
This is a Chinese animated feature film
But after Tao in-depth understanding, he found that this "Art Academy" directed by Liu Jian is by no means a simple animated film. As the title of the movie conveys, it seems to have a strong "artistic" attribute in itself. At the same time, the "dubbing" lineup list of the film can also be called the top "literary conference" in the history of animated films.
According to common sense analysis, artists participate in dubbing, mostly out of "gimmicks" or "ticket nature". But such a lineup placed in "Art Academy" reveals a fit at the level of "artistic pursuit".
Because using the word "dubbing" to summarize what the actor does in this movie is far from accurate. In contrast, Liu Jian said, it is more accurate to use the concept of "voice acting". The work of "casting" is as important as a live-action movie, and the methods and standards are also consistent, in this movie, the actor's voice is not only an auxiliary to the picture, but also brings a new life texture to the character.
That is, they did not come to beat soy sauce, but to "play real".
So, what kind of animation is "Art Academy"? And how does it resonate with artists?
According to the few introductions and previews so far, it is not difficult to see the characteristics of "Art Institute":
First of all, "Art Academy" as an animated film, it does not go to 3D for the sake of spectacle. Instead, the film uses a hand-drawn two-dimensional form to convey, with a soothing rhythm, rich picture details and a unique aesthetic.
Secondly, the story of "Art Academy" also feels "familiar and strange". It focuses on 1994 under the wave of reform and opening up.
At that time, a group of young artists from Southern University of Arts were discussing the topic of art in the immersion of the "Global Culture Year". After experiencing friendship, love, thinking and struggle, they reach the threshold of life and then choose what kind of person they become.
In this simple synopsis, there are actually two important propositions: era and choice.
From the perspective of today, 1994 was undoubtedly a year of great magic. On the one hand, the world is changing dramatically. For example, the Chinese Internet, which changed your and my lives, started with this year. But at the same time, the confusion and uneasiness under the drastic changes are also becoming a footnote of the times:
At that time, Shoko Asahara's Matsumoto Sarin Incident was involved; Meng Zhaoguo, a resident of Heilongjiang, is suspected of having had a seventh type of contact with aliens. Before the advent of the unknown new century, people's unease made the talk of the end of the world in 1999 even more popular.
At the same time, it is not only life that has changed dramatically, but also culture. Looking back today, 1994 is recognized as the "year of global culture", take movies as an example. In the international field, "The Shawshank Redemption", "Forrest Gump", "This killer is not too cold" and "Pulp Fiction" were born.
In the domestic field, Zhang Yimou used "Alive" to explain the relationship between the torrent of the times and the individual; Jiang Wen also conveyed another meaning of "animal ferocity" through "Sunny Day".
In the details of the picture of "Art Academy", you can see new things from foreign countries and local fashion trends
Masterpieces are piled up, and the times are bound to be surging.
And in this special era, the art academy, which represents the avant-garde, has become the meeting point of the times. Young people's minds are constantly impacted by new things and new artistic concepts. Many people are also inspired to explore the value and meaning of art in their own ways and to renew their understanding of life.
And of course, this also includes the "voice starring" lineup in "Art Academy".
At the end of 1994, Jia Zhangke of Nortel's literature department got a sum of money, and he wanted to make a feature film to dedicate to the world cinema for a hundred years. As a result, the movie "The Hill Comes Home" came into being.
As the line says, this film also sets the tone for Jia Zhangke's concern for ordinary people and secular life
At the same time, Peng Lei, who is in a arts and crafts school, is playing music. On April 5, 1994, Kurt Cobain passed away. "Many rock musicians with long hair with shawls have received his empowerment, but Kurt Cobain has never patronized him," Peng said. ”
Perhaps no one would have imagined that 2 years later, a band called "New Pants" would be formed and become one of the symbols of pop culture.
That is, this year, the young Shen Lihui not only did not establish "Modern Sky", but also lost 200,000 yuan in printing. But under the pessimistic mood, he still took out tens of thousands of pieces and recorded a collection called "Rock 94".
1994 seemed to be a threshold in the field of art. Someone has already begun to explore at the artistic level. But there are also people who are confused and confused in art schools.
At that time, there was also a group of decadent young people who, although they did not understand the meaning of art, wanted to fully express their individuality through art. So these young people put on strange costumes, sometimes conceited, sometimes inferior, and then self-exiled in emptiness and confusion. Maybe they also fell in love with fishing and playing with hand skewers in the end, but youth is not guilty of tossing.
Friends who have seen "Paper Planes" may have a better experience
All of the above are aspects of history and reality. The "art academy" seems to be a vehicle, or a microcosm of society, and there are many hidden topics that are worth exploring even today.
Therefore, the focus of "Art Academy" is not limited to art, but also the discussion of life, philosophy, music, love, ideals, the collision and absorption of Eastern and Western cultures and modern traditional culture. At that time, youth seemed to be retreated, and had nothing to do with involution.
How can animation even speak of such a theme, how can it not be expected?
Returning to the film itself, it is no accident that "Art Academy" can focus on such topics and be shortlisted for the main competition unit.
Because behind the screen, what is hidden is a director's persistence and perseverance in creation.
Prior to this, director Liu Jian's work "Big World" (also known as: "Wonderful") has won various international awards, and has also been shortlisted for the main competition unit of the 67th Berlin International Film Festival, and truly surprised the world film scene with Chinese-language animated films.
People's Daily Overseas Edition
"Chinese animators fight back against Hollywood trends" - South China Morning Post
"It is both heartfelt and heartfelt, but also a vibrant and playful postmodern pop art." ——Screen Daily, an authoritative international film media
And director Liu Jian's work, in fact, we may have seen it a long time ago.
As early as 2001, Feng Xiaogang made a god film "Big Shot". The story is full of reality and absurdity, such as consuming dead people, real estate packaging, and website collective financing listing.
And when all parties in the plot were preparing for the funeral of international director Taylor, there was such an animated short film describing Taylor, which was quite impressive.
This is Liu Jian's first "work", and this is also his first contact with the film industry.
Liu Jian studied Chinese painting in college, and after graduation, he engaged in various artistic creations, writing novels, photography, and playing bands.
But what really made Liu Jian interested in animated films was Japanese director Mamoru Oshii's "Ghost in the Shell 1", which made Liu Jian realize that animation can do this.
Source: Orange Movies
In 2007, after several years of accumulation, Liu Jian was determined to make an animated movie.
However, at that time, the domestic animation industry had tended to be in a state of short-term success. Crazy expansion of comic exhibitions in various places, crazy deception of subsidies, and animations shot by the assembly line of "How Fast Rotten Province" emerge one after another. The attitude of "impetuous money" has already shown signs in the animation industry.
But at this time, Liu Jian wanted to do the opposite and open up his own animated film road. It's almost an impossible task!
Friends around him persuaded him to find a team to create, he tried, but team creation often has disagreement, and the docking of painting creation is not ideal.
Therefore, Liu Jianxin decided to complete an animated feature film alone, and simply hid in the small building to "draw movies".
Indeed Source: One seat
Liu Jian created alone in three years, and through one hand-drawn draft after another, he completed this masterpiece that was not favored by everyone, bringing a "Sting Me".
You know, director Liu Jian at that time was definitely a layman in the film industry, and he didn't understand how a "normal" film should work, he only knew how to bury his head in hard work, from the director, screenwriter, original painting, animation all one person, basically a personal work of art.
The film tells the story of Zhang Xiaojun, who just graduated from college and started working, was laid off due to the 2008 financial crisis, and then was mistaken for a thief by supermarket security. He kindly helped an old man but was innocently wronged. At this time, Xiaojun's biggest wish in his heart was to be able to return to the countryside to become a farmer. But the sky did not go as expected, Xiaojun and his friend Dahong fell into a murderous storm of money and power trading.
The words (paintings) are rough, and the reason is not rough
Known as China's "first black animated feature film", the French "Film Handbook" highly praised "Sting Me" with the title "China's New Breakthrough": "The real surprise in the competition unit came from China, and Sting Me marked the vibrant return of Chinese animated films. ”
In the following years, Liu Jian disappeared again, concentrated on creation for four years, and in 2017 brought another "non-mainstream animated film" - "Big World".
The movie tells a story that takes place in the adult world: Xiao Zhang, a construction site driver, robbed the boss of a huge amount of money in order to save his love with his girlfriend, which triggered a chain reaction. Several forces chased Xiao Zhang. Originally, they had no relationship, and their fates intersected.
Everyone wants to change their fate with this huge amount of money, but fate is never controlled by people or money
This time, it was still almost a film completed independently, and Liu Jian spent most of his time creating this film alone, a room, a drawing board, and a computer, so he spent four years as an ascetic to complete the film. The reporter asked him if he felt bitter, and he smiled and said that he was very happy.
Source: 1905 Movie Network
"Sting Me" and "Big World" basically laid the foundation for Liu Jian's film animation style, no 3D technology, no spectacle and kawaii, will never deliberately imitate the design of the American manga or the Japanese manga American type, some are just resolutely original, and sincere and attentive expression.
Therefore, in Liu Jian's works, we can often see rough and exaggerated characters. These various characters seem to be able to take their seats in life, migrant workers, security guards, bosses, officials, police...
And these characters, by Liu Jianbu's multiple clues and multiple coincidences, will bring together seemingly unrelated characters at all levels in society to the same ending.
Such a creation is obviously not an easy task. But Liu Jian's observation of the nuances of life allows this convergence to state the theme of the times worth pondering: the background of "Sting Me" takes place in 2008, with the financial crisis and the Beijing Olympics in the context of the big time, but it is also mixed with the struggles of ordinary people. In "Big World", people try to change their fate with money.
"Big World"
And this time, Liu Jian led the team of teachers and students, and "Art Academy", which was originally wanted to be completed in three years, was overdue by two years due to the epidemic, and finally after everyone was finished, the film was also completed.
Liu Jian confessed that this film has his memories, and the origin of the creation was when he returned to his alma mater, Nanyi, and met the teacher by chance, when he was young and energetic, he was full of gray hair, and suddenly felt the cruelty of time. But he believes that this is not a nostalgic film, nor is it just a directional film that tells the story of artistic youth, he just wants to feel the beauty of life and the beauty of art with every young life, and every person who may be old on the surface but still young inside.
Art can be displayed in the windows of museums and exhibition halls, or it can be presented in detail every minute of life, just like Liu Jian's films drawn frame by frame hide the unique imprint of that era, but you and I need to carefully observe the shining that is buried under the noise.
Source: Orange Movies
Now, we look back at the celebrities who played the voice in the current "Academy of Art", in the age of each of their youthful and restless, I am afraid that no one will really know and understand them.
But at the same time, their confusion and choice seem to be an inescapable imprint of every era, which is worthy of our deep thinking and play.
After talking about "Art Academy", Tao also wants to talk about Chinese animation.
In the past two years, the controversy about Chinese animation has been constant. There is a joke that says that Chinese animation likes fitness because it always does sit-ups. Rise today, and lie down again tomorrow.
This may be because we always unconsciously fantasize about a masterpiece, and then let this masterpiece break the current dilemma.
However, the breaking of the dilemma cannot rely on just one work as a "savior", but requires Chinese animation to bloom in the development of a hundred flowers and develop again in the blooming of a hundred flowers. Of course, industrialized and phenomenal large-scale productions are important, but at the same time, the development of Chinese animation also needs works like "Art Academy" to create more possibilities.
It is said that "Art Academy" will be released within this year, and as an audience, if you want to see more original works that do not follow the trend or imitate and are not young, you need to work hard with the creators.
Instead of waiting and watching, let's go into the cinema together, feel it with our hearts, and support it with actions.
-Resources-
How did "Art Academy", which was shortlisted for the main competition unit of the Berlin Film Festival, expand the landscape of domestic animation? We talked to the director – Wenhui
"North Sea Monster" – Peng Lei
Liu Jian: An animated film of one person
Shen Lihui: Generous boss, the company has long died entertainment capital
Jia Zhangke: The show is still to come Chengdu Business Daily
National Shake Festival VI.3 - Rock Collection (1994)
"Big World" director production special precious manuscript first exposed - 1905 film network
[Big World] director Liu Jian: The clumsy animation language can better express the style of the film - orange movies
China Newsweek article: The restlessness and departure of Chinese animation
Design/Vision: Strong