IMDb > Tian yu (1998)
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Overview

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7.3/10   1,980 votes
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Director:
Joan Chen
Writers:
Joan Chen (writer)
Geling Yan (novel)
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Tian yu on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
29 April 1999 (Singapore) more
Genre:
Drama more
Plot:
Young teen girl Xiu Xiu is sent away to a remote corner of the Sichuan steppes for manual labor in 1975... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
12 wins & 8 nominations more
NewsDesk:
Ask AfterEllen.com (June 2, 2009)
 (From AfterEllen.com. 1 June 2009, 6:13 PM, PDT)
User Reviews:
A remarkable first feature from Joan Chen more (68 total)

Cast

  (in credits order)
Xiaolu Li ... Wenxiu (Xiu Xiu) (as Lu Lu)
Lopsang ... Lao Jin
Zheng Qian ... Li Chuanbei
Jie Gao ... Mother
Qianqian Li ... Sister
Yue Lü ... Father
Qian Qiao ... Chen Li
Cheng Jiang ... Rider A
Xiaoyu Yang ... Girl
Xuejun Gu ... Rider B
Huri ... Holligan
Zhizhung Lik ... Headquarter's Chief
Kun Zhang ... Assistant
Shijin Li ... Jeep Driver
Dong Jia ... Yak Herder A
Yu Wang ... Yak Herder B (as Wang Yue)
Qiang Gao ... Peddler
Xuelan Cao ... Honey Dealer
Wenyuan Qin ... Motorcycle Man
Xiaoying Tan ... Tractor Man
Zhong Lu ... Belt Man
Wenqi Hu ... Janitor
Yayu Li ... Nurse A
Min Du ... Nurse B
Jiong Cao ... Three Toes
Dashui Jia ... Patient A
Yu Chen ... Patient B
Luoyong Wang ... Narrator (voice)
Xiaolin Yu ... Jeep Driver Voice (voice)
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Directed by
Joan Chen 
 
Writing credits
(in alphabetical order)
Joan Chen  writer
Geling Yan  novel "Tian Yu"
Geling Yan  screenplay

Produced by
Wai-Chung Chan .... producer (as Alice Chan)
Joan Chen .... executive producer
Joan Chen .... producer
Allison Liu .... executive producer
Cecile Shah Tsuei .... executive producer
Ruby Yang .... associate producer
 
Original Music by
Johnny Chen 
 
Cinematography by
Yue Lü 
 
Film Editing by
Ruby Yang 
 
Production Design by
Lai Pan 
 
Art Direction by
Sai-Wan Lau 
 
Costume Design by
Lai Pan 
 
Makeup Department
Xiaomei Min .... hair stylist
Xiaomei Min .... makeup artist
 
Production Management
Tom Bullock .... post-production supervisor
Ye Fan .... production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
He Shi .... assistant director
 
Art Department
Ping Feng .... set constructor
Jianhua Gao .... props manager
Zhihua Gao .... second assistant props
Hai Liu .... third assistant props
Weiguo Liu .... set constructor
Cheng Qin .... art department consultant
Zhiliang Wang .... first assistant props
Ming Yao .... set constructor
 
Sound Department
Jay Boekelheide .... sound designer
Frank Canonica .... supervising sound recordist: mix stage
Christopher Emerson .... sound assistant
Stephen Hart .... foley mixer
Gooning Mo .... assistant sound
Dan Olmsted .... sound re-recording mixer
Margie O'Malley .... foley artist (as Margio Malley)
David Parker .... sound re-recording mixer
Frank Rinella .... adr mixer
Zhanshan Yang .... sound recordist
 
Visual Effects by
Michael Hinton .... film opticals
Bruce Miller .... film opticals
Bruce Walters .... digital visual effects
Ginny Walters .... digital visual effects
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Jie Chen .... third assistant camera
Michael Chin .... camera operator: second unit
Zhegnjun Duan .... second assistant camera
Jiebin Fan .... camera operator
Dahai Li .... first assistant camera
Zhilan Liku .... electrician
Tiande Li .... electrician
Carter Tomassi .... camera operator: titles (as Carter Thomassi)
Jingrei Wen .... best boy
Fusen Xu .... generator operator
Jianyun Yao .... gaffer
Yong Ye .... video operator
Diansheng Zhou .... electrician
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Xuelan Cao .... wardrobe assistant
Xiao Xi .... wardrobe
 
Editorial Department
Angela Chou .... negative cutter
Axel Geddes .... assistant editor
Lauren E. Himmel .... assistant editor: avid
Jim Kallett .... assistant editor
Celia Pan .... assistant editor
Stephen R. Sheridan .... color timer (as Steve Sheridan)
Kevin Zimmerman .... assistant editor
 
Music Department
Mark Jan Wlodarkiewicz .... music editor
 
Transportation Department
Junming Gong .... driver: generator
 
Other crew
Chris Barden .... script translator: English language version
Guangping Cai .... production coordinator
Eileen Chow .... subtitle consultant: English language version
Shixiong Deng .... assistant production coordinator
Baodi Fei .... body double
Jie Gao .... script supervisor
Jakob Nielsen .... title designer: English language version
Lawrence A. Walker .... script translator: English language version
Qifeng Yang .... facility maintenance
 

Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Xiu Xiu he ta de nan ren (China: Mandarin title) (bootleg title)
Xiu Xiu: The Sent-Down Girl
more
MPAA:
Rated R for strong sexual content.
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
99 min
Country:
Hong Kong | USA | Taiwan
Language:
Mandarin
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.66 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby
Certification:
Iceland:12 | New Zealand:R18 | Argentina:18 | Chile:18 | France:U | Hong Kong:IIB | Singapore:R(A) | USA:R
Company:
Good Machine more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Although the U.S. distributor claimed the film was banned in China for sexual and political content, the script was actually approved by the Chinese government. The film was only banned after the filmmakers decided not to wait for permits before shooting in Tibet (such permits are required for a film to receive official approval). more

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User Reviews

   (Review this title)
4 out of 4 people found the following review useful.
A remarkable first feature from Joan Chen, 27 August 1999
9/10
Author: Ned Depew (Acorn-2) from Albany, NY, USA

Xiu Xiu is a beautifully made movie in which Joan Chen combines sumptuous visual imagery, a beautiful, delicate musical score, fine performances by her actors and a spare and intelligent script to produce a simple, moving story of two lost lives.

The movement of the story from the dark confines of the tent Xiu Xiu and Lao Jin share to the almost limitless prairies and big skys of the Tibetan highlands follows the emotional pulse of the film. Expert camera work creates perspectives that sweep from the touchingly intimate to the overwhelmingly vast, exploring the characters from inside and out.

Wonderful, economical performances from newcomer Lu Lu and Tibetan stage veteran Lopsang give profound and touching insight into the extraordinariness of two ordinary people. Chen saves the story from descent into melodrama by a precise and thoughtful restraint that respects, observes, and never intrudes to seek to "explain" or apologize.

A film worth going out of one's way to see.

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