Download ~ Beginning a New Discourse: The First Chinese Lesbian Film Fish and Elephant (Critical Essay) # by Film Criticism ~ eBook PDF Kindle ePub Free
eBook details
- Title: Beginning a New Discourse: The First Chinese Lesbian Film Fish and Elephant (Critical Essay)
- Author : Film Criticism
- Release Date : January 22, 2004
- Genre: Performing Arts,Books,Arts & Entertainment,
- Pages : * pages
- Size : 189 KB
Description
As Zhang Yuan's East Palace, West Palace has the right to be considered the first Chinese gay man film, Li Yu's Fish and Elephant (Jinnian Xiatian) (1) may lay claim to being the first Chinese lesbian film. While East Palace, West Palace is preceded by several films involving gay characters and scenes, such as those directed by Chai Mingliang, Ang Lee, Chen Kaige, and Kar-wai Wong, (2) Fish and Elephant has no precedents and, hence, finds itself treading gingerly over brand new territory. Since this independent film has not been released to the public either in China or abroad, (3) a brief synopsis of the story is in order. Two lesbians--Xiaoqun, a zoo worker, and Xiaoling, a clothes store owner--meet and decide to live together. Xiaoqun's mother comes to Beijing to press her daughter to get married. One day, after two years, Xiaoqun's ex-girlfriend Junjun suddenly appears, claiming she robbed a bank and asking Xiaoqun to hide her. It turns out later that Junjun killed her father, who had been sexually molesting her since childhood. Xiaoling sees Xiaoqun and Junjun together and leaves Xiaoqun. Xiaoqun confesses to her mother that she is lesbian. The mother first cannot understand the daughter but eventually comes to accept her. In the end, Xiaoqun and Xiaoling make up.