Movie: To Live (1994)
Film Background
To Live (Chinese: t 活著, s 活着, p Huózhe), also titled Lifetimes in some English versions, is a Chinese epic film directed by Zhang Yimou in 1994, starring Ge You, Gong Li, and produced by the Shanghai Film Studio and ERA International. It is based on the novel of the same name by Yu Hua. Having achieved international success with his previous films (Ju Dou and Raise the Red Lantern), director Zhang Yimou's To Live came with high expectations. It is the first Chinese film that had its foreign distribution rights pre-sold.
The film was banned in mainland China by the Chinese State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television due to its critical portrayal of various policies and campaigns of the Communist government. In addition, Zhang was banned from filmmaking for two years.
To Live was screened at the 1994 New York Film Festival before eventually receiving a limited release in the United States on November 18, 1994.
Vocabulary Connections
- Republic
- Cultural Revolution
- Great Leap Forward
- Communism
- Social Class
- Gender
- Human Rights
- Red Guard
- Little Red Book
- Mao Zedong
Enduring Issues (Examples)
- Impact of the Role of Government
- Impact of Gender Roles
- Impact of Communism
- Impact of Laissez-Faire Capitalism
- Impact of Totalitarianism
- Impact of Industrialization
- Violations of Human Rights
- Impact of Modernization
Periodization (Timeline) Connections
- China Imperialism
- Chinese Revolution
- Chinese Republic
- Chinese Communist Revolution
- Cultural Revolution
- Great Leap Forward