Special planning
S I F F S P E C I A L
2020 is destined to be an extraordinary year. At the beginning of the new year, the COVID-19 disaster began to spread around the world, and hundreds of thousands of lives were ruthlessly taken. With the advent of the epidemic, the development of human civilization has become different, and the whole world has pressed the pause button during that time.
In response to the global outbreak of the new crown epidemic, the Shanghai International Film Festival has specially curated the theme unit of "Human Apocalypse", which makes us think again about the meaning of life through five works with different styles but full of deep thought, which are:
Film guru Godard's "no comment" socialist video essay "Film Socialism", Hollywood superstar Brad Pitt bravely broke into hell on earth's "Zombie World Wars", Brazilian film master Fernando Merrills's "Immortal Gardener", adapted from the Nebula Award-winning science fiction short story "The Story of Your Life", the science fiction film "Arrival" directed by Canadian film master Dennis Villeneuve, and the animated film adaptation of Osamu Tezuka's science fiction manga "Osamu Tezuka" Metropolis".
Here's a closer look:
Cinematic socialism
Film Socialism
-2010-
Highlights: "No comment" socialist video paper
French film master Jean-Luc Godard was the first feature film shot with a digital camera. Through the metaphor of the world through luxury cruise ships, divided into three symphonic movements, around the scenic spots and monuments of the six countries, it tells the life of people with different identities on and off the ship. The film was filmed on location near the Mediterranean Sea and featured the American punk godmother Patti Smith and the French philosopher Alain Badio. Like Godard's previous works, the film abandons traditional narratives, fragments of subtitle cards and film clips, playfully plays with stop-motion images and contemporary media materials, and travels between the era of information explosion and historical trauma, reflecting the concerns about multiculturalism and racism.
Zombie World Wars
World War Z
-2013-
Highlights: Daddy Pete bravely breaks into hell on earth
Based on Max Brooks' best-selling novel of the same name, which tells the story of a zombie virus infecting humans and causing killings, former United Nations investigators and virologists venture to find an antidote. The film lasted four years from preparation to completion, rewritten the script several times, and spent more than $200 million due to overruns, and was filmed in Malta, Glasgow and Budapest. The film breaks the traditional hero routine, through the narrative form of road films, implants the awareness of global environmental crisis from the perspective of ordinary people, macroscopically shows the evolution process of the virus disaster, and creates a spectacular picture of the apocalypse. Brad Pitt made this film purely to please his children, fading the image of a beautiful boy and perfectly interpreting the role of a loving father, adding a touch of warmth to this sci-fi horror blockbuster.
Immortal gardener
The Constant Gardener
-2005-
What to watch: The flower grower dug out the flower of evil
Based on the best-selling book of the same name by the famous British spy novelist John Le Carré, it tells the story of diplomats at the British Embassy in Kenya who discover the cause of her death and are determined to solve the mystery of her death. Brazilian film maestro Fernando Merrills filmed in the slums and the town of Royangarani in Nairobi, Kenya, with a large number of gorgeous close-up footage capturing psychological horror moments and uncovering the hidden medical conspiracy through flashback narratives. The production team also spontaneously set up a charitable organization to support the improvement of the local education and health environment because of the harsh environment of the filming site. British stars Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weiz staged a heart-wrenching love song, who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for this film.
befall
Arrival
-2016-
Highlights: Science fiction poems dedicated to language
Adapted from Ted Ginger's Nebula Award-winning science fiction short story "The Story of Your Life," it tells the story of twelve UFO suddenly descending on Earth, and two scientists are commissioned to work together to crack the alien language in search of ideas. The first science fiction work of Canadian film master Dennis Villeneuve uses the apocalyptic setting of traditional science fiction films, and on the contrary, uses minimalist narrative to smear realism on the film, plus cleverly integrated Chinese elements and a well-designed alien language system, composing a soft and slow tone between memory and future. He was nominated for eight nominations at the Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Director, and finally won the Academy Award for Best Sound Editing.
Metropolis
Metropolis
-2001-
What to watch: Revisit Osamu Tezuka's science fiction classics on the big screen
Manga master Osamu Tezuka drew inspiration from the classic masterpieces of German expressionist film master Fritz Lang, created metropolis in 1949, which is regarded as one of his early science fiction masterpieces. Released in 2001, the film is adapted from this original work, telling the story of private detective Companion Toshisaku and his nephew Kenichi in a metropolis where humans and robots coexist, and makes a profound reflection on the relationship between human civilization and scientific development. Directed by veteran animation director Taro Hayashi (Galaxy Railway 999) and written by Katsuyo Otomo, another anime god, the film brings together the top creative team, lasted five years, cost 1 billion yen to build, and has been praised as one of the highest masterpieces in the history of animation.
Welcome to continue to pay attention to us and grasp the blockbuster list of the 23rd Shanghai International Film Festival in 2020 for the first time.
Note: In case of change in the film schedule, the actual schedule shall prevail.