Starring Ma XingchunZhang Min Edited by Zhang JunLi Ruijun Music director Kun Lou | Screenplay by Li RuijunPeng Tao Initial release October 2010 Cinematography Yang Jin | |
Produced by Zhang Xian-minZeng WenwenCui Zi'en Cast Zhang Min, Chun Yan Sun, Da Zhi Wang, Ma Xingchun Production companies Indie Workshop, Li Ruijun Film Studio Producers Cui Zi'en, Li Ruiqi, Zeng Wenwen Similar A Gangland Love Story, Vienna, The Merchant of Venice, Caravan to Vaccarès, Say Me | ||
The Old Donkey (Chinese: 老驢頭; pinyin: lǎo lǘ tóu) is a 2010 Chinese film written, edited and directed by Li Ruijun, and deals with elderly farmers and their relationship to their land against a society that pushes forward reforms and policies relentlessly. It also deals with changing family relationships in fast changing China, particularly involving elderly left behind without anyone to care for them.
Contents
It made its world premiere at the 15th Busan International Film Festival in 2010.
Synopsis
Under a new government directive on land reform, local bigwig Zhang Yongfu (Sun Chunyan) is buying up land owned by peasant farmers or trying to force them off their land, in order to build a chemical factory that will benefit the village. 84-year-old Ma, nicknamed Old Donkey (Ma Xingchun), stubbornly refuses to sell his land as he is convinced that it is his duty as a farmer to tender the land until his death. Apart from his daughter Ma Lianhua (Zhang Min), who looks after and works with him, Ma's three sons have moved to a nearby town.
As Ma's parents' graves on the edge of the desert is being swallowed up by sand, with the help of an old friend Ma Dazhi (Wang Dazhi), he plants wheat-straw terracing on the side of a nearby sand dune to protect them. Meanwhile, Zhang keeps up the pressure on Ma and others to sell their land, and Ma's health continues to decline as he tends the terracing. Ma is eventually forced off of his land, and dies of illnesses that he can't afford treatment for.
Cast
Production
Li started filming The Old Donkey in 2006. When an investor pulled out at the last minute, he was left in a bad financial state as he had already set up a film crew and needed 300,000 RMB. His father lent him some money and he had to borrow the rest from relatives and friends to finish the film. His director friend Yang Jin supported and helped for free as the cinematographer and recording artist. In 2010, he won 100,000 euros from a film festival for the film. Luckily, he received another 200,000 euros for a post-production award, which allowed him to pay back some of his debts. He also worked temporarily as a TV director to finish paying off his debts.