Film fest sneak peek

• Source: Global Times
• [11:10 June 18 2010]
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By Vivian Yang and Nick Muzyczka

With the 13th annual Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) in full swing, some 300 flicks from home and abroad are being screened at 25 cinemas throughout the city to entertain local movie buffs.

This year's film festival attracted a record 2,327 entries from 81 countries and regions to vie for a spot for a Golden Goblet Award (also known as the Jin Jue Award in Chinese).

Among the award categories, a total of 16 films were in competition, including two Chinese productions.

The Global Times reviewed five of the 16 Best Film candidates - both Chinese and foreign - to shed some light on the festival's finale coming this Sunday when all the Golden Goblet Awards will be handed out.

Ocean Heaven

Ocean Heaven (by Xue Xiaolu, China, 2010)

This low-budget, art-house feature film served as the opening film for the festival and featured a star-studded cast including internationally famous action star Jet Li, award-winning actress Gao Yuanyuan, and promising young actor Wen Zhang.

The film tells the bittersweet story of 22-year-old autistic David (vividly por-trayed by Wen Zhang), and his dying widower father Sam (played by Jet Li making his very first foray into serious pictures).

Set in a tranquil coastal city, Sam takes tender care of his son by working at a local aquarium. But the day comes when he finds himself stricken with cancer and he has to search for a guardian for his son.

With generous help from his neighbors and friends, David eventually learns how to live on his own after his father's death.

Based on her decade-long experience of volunteering with autism, writer/director Xue Xiaolu pays homage to those loving and long-suffering parents who struggle against autism in her directorial debut. And the result is surprisingly satisfying.

The audience will be moved and deeply touched by this film's simple story line, realistic dialogue, natural acting, and profound subject matter.

Aspiring actor Wen Zhang played David as an autistic person who is com-pletely self-absorbed and who does not communicate well with others.

Kung fu star Jet Li added his usual charisma into Sam, the warm-hearted but ill-fated central character.

Unlike his previous action-packed works, Li proves himself capable of care, love and tenderness in his latest performance.

Ocean Heaven's technical excellence cannot be understated. Its crew included some of the heavyweights in today's film industry.

The camera work by award-winning Christopher Doyle who produced fluid, well-structured pictures, and music by maestro Joe Hisaishi who composed the slow-paced, sentimental scores, both help accentuate the quality of the film.