When Sun Yat-sen proposed in 1919 to build a dam on the Yangtze River, he probably didn’t appreciate just to what extent such a Herculean project and the colossal impact it would have on the local population. Seventy four years later and the Three Gorges Dam (in Yichang, Hubei Province) eventually started and was completed in May last year, becoming the largest hydroelectric dam in the world, and involving the relocation of more than 1.3 million people.

Despite being such a huge project, director Jia Zhangke takes his usual insightful look into human struggle that has seen him hailed overseas for his depiction of contemporary China in Still Life (Good People of the Three Gorges), his fifth film to date and his second movie to be released in China nationwide after The World.

Shot on HD, and using a documentary-style approach, the 36-year-old filmmaker offers a contemplative look at the emotional malaise within the rubble of Fengjie, a city at the foot of the dam. Two unconnected individuals from Shanxi, a coalminer (Han Sanming) and a nurse (Zhao Tao), search for their loved ones while wandering in an odd Imagelandscape of ruins, mountains and flooded lands. Eventually, they found something they didn’t expect they would.

Just as unexpected, was Still Life’s last-minute entry in competition at the 63rd Venice International Film Festival in September where Jia pocketed the Golden Lion award, the Western world’s ultimate sign of acknowledgement of Jia’s cinematic significance.

Jia talks with that’s about Still Life’s balancing act of realism and surrealism.

that’s: What is Still Life about?
Jia Zhangke: The focus of this movie is the impact of the Three Gorges Dam construction project on the lives of common people. I didn’t want to elevate the film to a sociological piece; it isn’t a movie to address societal problems actually. What I wanted to do was to look at the dam project from the angle of the locals. Of course they’re always affected by the society, but I didn’t want to just stop there. I wanted to show the strong will of the residents to confront the difficulties and how they survive.

that’s: The number of displaced locals exceeds the State of Idaho population. Did you witness any of it?
JZK: I didn’t witness the departure of people. Everything was just gone forever. It is very surrealistic; 1.3 million people left their land instantly. When I arrived there, there was even no trace left [of their lives] on this land. The saddest thing is that such an old city just disappeared under waters. The city has more than 2000 years of history and is attached to some wonderful cultural heritage such as the poems of Li Bai and the story of The Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

that’s: Why was Still Life presented at the last minute at the Venice Film Festival?
JZK: After I completed the rough cut, the Venice selection committee watched it and loved it. Unfortunately my father passed away during this period and I suspended all my work. Even so, they were still very persistent and wanted me to go back to work in July 2006 [to complete post production]. We all were afraid that I wouldn’t be able to finish it on time for the festival. Therefore we reached the agreement to present it as a surprise film; if I couldn’t finish it on time they would have found another movie.

that’s: Some scenes are bizarre, surreal even; there UFO flying around, a tight-rope walker and a building launched like a space shuttle. Explain.
JZK: The movie blends the reality with the two lead-character difficulties, their memories and their hope and imagination for the future. At the end of this movie, there are acrobatics to show this surrealism. It’s true that it’s kind of magical. Actually surrealism might just be the reality of modern China. China develops at an amazingly fast pace and there’s strong surrealistic side effects resulting from this development. Here, a city with a 2,400-year history got demolished in two years and more than one million people vanished instantly. From a certain viewpoint it shows the situation in China.

that’s: The movie’s a slow pace, with sometimes comedic moments. Why?
JZK: It’s the real pace of this city. From this languidity, you can understand the quickness of the [city] demolition and the departure of people. [So] this reality is sad and heavy. The contrast between the sad parts and the humor serves to emphasize the vitality and optimism of these people.

that’s: The humor works very well; your next film might as well be a comedy.
JZK: I haven’t thought about that yet, but I do like humor. I think Chinese people don’t lead a daily life with a long face and a sad mind. People should live with a smile.

c) that's PRD Magazine
Chief editor: Phil Boyle
December 2006 issue



Published in a slighlty different form in that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
February 2007 issue



and in that's Beijing Magazine
Deputy chief editor: Gwynn Guilford
January 2007 issue