MOUNTAINS MAY DEPART (Shan He Gu Ren)
SPECIAL PRESENTATION D: Jia Zhang-ke. China/France/Japan. 125 min. Sep 14, 9:30 pm Princess of Wales Sep 15, 11:45 am TIFF Bell Lightbox 1. See TIFF.net. Rating: NNNN
This ambitious and entertaining three-part epic begins in the contagious optimism of 1999 China, makes a soft landing in the murky present and finally touches down 10 years in the future in the Australian Chinese diaspora.
Jia skilfully builds his family drama on the powerful acting persona of Zhao Tao (the director’s real-life wife), who early on chooses a romantic, man-of-action capitalist over a worker/miner and has a son who eventually emigrates Down Under.
Jia displays remarkable ease exploring a rich emotional landscape while simultaneously commenting on larger societal issues. The unresolved ending turns out to be unexpectedly poignant, the mark of a master filmmaker.
