Chapter 5

On February 13, 1997, the literature department's second round of exams officially began. Wang Qinan got up very early that morning and arrived at the exam venue early.

There were very few candidates left for the second round, only 200 people. Everyone gathered in a screening room for the exam, unlike the first round where they were spread across multiple venues.

Wang Qinan looked around at the other candidates and thought to himself, how many of them will make it to the third round?

At 8:30 AM, the exam officially started.

The invigilator distributed the exam papers. The question was — film analysis and writing, the film "The Story of Qiu Ju." Candidates were free to write essays on this film, with no restrictions on genre or length.

When the film started, the candidates had various expressions.

Some, like Wang Qinan, who had seen the film before, looked pleased. However, most of the candidates who had not seen the film appeared a bit nervous or dejected.

By observation, only about 30% of the candidates seemed confident, indicating they had seen the film.

Wang Qinan was clearly one of the prepared candidates who had seen the film in advance.

Before the film ended, Wang Qinan began to write fervently:

"Overall, 'The Story of Qiu Ju' is another Chinese film directed by Zhang Yimou, made for foreign audiences.

Why 'another'? Because, in my view, these award-winning films have become severely formulaic and routine. As long as you follow the 'formula,' any Chinese director of a certain caliber can cater to the specific tastes of certain judges and audiences, making it easy to win awards.

According to my analysis, a common feature of many Chinese films that win awards overseas is that they are directed by Chinese directors and often portray China in a negative light, making it easier to win awards... Of course, this is a side note. Apart from depicting some backward aspects of China and tarnishing its image, 'The Story of Qiu Ju' is still a good film!"

Wang Qinan bit the pen, knowing that exposing the unspoken rules of award-winning films was not the main goal. It was merely to show the examiner that he had his own views and opinions on the film industry.

The subsequent text should praise Zhang Yimou's film, as Zhang Yimou is a prominent figure at the Beijing Film Academy. Criticizing Zhang Yimou harshly would be like slapping the face of the Beijing Film Academy. No matter how talented a student might be, the Beijing Film Academy would not accept them.

"Inside 'The Story of Qiu Ju,' the social landscape of China in the early 1980s and 1990s is vividly depicted. Through the film, one can objectively understand the social conditions at the beginning of the reform and opening-up period, almost like a panoramic view similar to the 'Along the River During the Qingming Festival' painting. However, while 'Along the River During the Qingming Festival' depicts an ancient city, 'The Story of Qiu Ju' portrays a rural village and a small county. Through the eyes of the protagonist Qiu Ju, the film almost comprehensively shows the grassroots life in a village and a small county in the early 1990s..."

"However, Qiu Ju's continuous appeals also expose a problem — China's grassroots society is still a society based on personal connections. Both law enforcement officials and the public have a very weak legal awareness.

This portrayal of the 'ugly' side of China helps win film awards. However, it damages China's overall image, which cannot be compensated by a few film awards.

For example, South Koreans only portray the good in their films and TV shows, with handsome men and beautiful women, and various unrealistic, beautified scenes. They lack artistic value and acting skills. However, by mass-producing idols, they have gradually risen to prominence, threatening to replace Hong Kong and Taiwan as the trendsetters in Asia. After visiting South Korea, one realizes that their portrayals are very fake and do not reflect the true South Korea. However, this exaggeration and beautification bring significant economic benefits.

South Korean films and TV shows broadcast overseas create a positive image for foreign fans, which in turn serves as soft advertising for South Korean consumer products, such as clothing, cosmetics, furniture, phones, TVs, and cars, generating substantial economic benefits.

Hollywood similarly beautifies America's technology and modernization in their films, so their films are not just about cultural influence but also enhance the overall influence of American products.

Due to the time limit and the length of the article, I cannot elaborate on the broader topic of the film market. Let's continue discussing the film 'The Story of Qiu Ju.'

The main plot of the film revolves around Qiu Ju's continuous appeals to sue the village chief. The conflict is not a major grudge but a matter of principle.

The conflict began because Qiu Ju's family illegally built a pepper house in the field. As a grassroots official, the village chief had to stop this illegal act. In the process, a verbal dispute arose, and Qiu Ju's husband insulted the village chief, calling his actions 'cursing the lineage.' This enraged the village chief, leading to a physical altercation where he kicked Qiu Ju's husband in the groin.

Building the pepper house in the field was an illegal act, and the village chief's assault was also illegal. Using illegal means to enforce the law highlights the weak legal awareness of grassroots officials in China.

When Qiu Ju first sought justice by reporting the incident to the police, the police ruled that the village chief should pay 200 yuan for medical expenses and lost wages and apologize to Qiu Ju's husband.

The village chief accepted the financial compensation but refused to apologize. He threw the 200 yuan on the ground, telling Qiu Ju to pick it up.

Qiu Ju felt that the village chief's actions were insulting her dignity, so she refused to accept the compensation and continued to appeal, seeking 'justice.'

In the following plot, Qiu Ju continuously appealed to the town, county, and city levels. The journey required travel and accommodation expenses, and she paid a significant economic cost to seek justice.

Of course, the doctor, police, officials, and lawyer Qiu Ju encountered in the film can all be considered good people, including the village chief, who had not abandoned the principle of 'serving the people.' The worst person Qiu Ju encountered might have been the tricycle driver, who took a longer route in the city to charge more money.

The intricate dramatic conflicts show that Director Zhang Yimou's skills are exceptional. He tightly focuses on 'conflict,' the most crucial element in the film's plot, making even an ordinary story engaging and not dull.

However, this film is not just a textbook example of 'dramatic conflict.' It also has a Chinese characteristic of 'three twists.' The ending clearly demonstrates this.

Logically, the village chief should have deeply hated Qiu Ju, as she continuously appealed against him.

However, in the film, when Qiu Ju had a difficult labor, most of the villagers were out watching a play. The village chief, without any grudge, carried her to the hospital in the snow at midnight. Without the village chief, Qiu Ju and her child might have been in danger.

At the end of the film, Qiu Ju and the village chief reconcile, and she gives up her pursuit of 'justice' because she has forgiven the village chief. She even plans to invite him to a celebratory banquet when her child is a month old.

At this moment, a dramatic scene occurs in the film — the village chief is arrested.

This is because Qiu Ju's lawsuit against the village chief at the intermediate people's court was successful, and the court sentenced the village chief to 15 days of detention.

In the final scene, Qiu Ju chases after the police car in the snow. Her feelings at this moment are truly thought-provoking..."

In summary, Wang Qinan clearly criticized the ideological errors in Zhang Yimou's film "The Story of Qiu Ju."

However, he also praised Zhang Yimou's directorial skills, as Zhang Yimou's level of filmmaking is a product of the Beijing Film Academy.

After finishing the essay, Wang Qinan's heart was pounding — whether this writing would earn the examiner's approval was a complete gamble!