I figli del Fiume Giallo

We follow the evolution and the misguidance of a mafia couple for a decade. With highs (classically: money, feeling of power, ...) and lows (to be discovered!). I did not know Tao Zhao: she plays perfectly

This is an intense movie. It's is less about the story, which is long, both in terms of movie length but also the time period of 2001 to 2018, than it is about the lead character and her protagonist, her love. Both Tao and Fan are exceptional. Understated yet convey such power. The hotel scene is superb.

This is a film of character. Of stoicism. Of progress but indomitable tradition. A pseudo love story but rather one of belief and strength. An excellent and absorbing character study.

An enjoyable journey into a land and character unfamiliar.

Qiao is cool headed, smart, responsible and resourceful; good qualities to have when your boyfriend is a gangster. When Bin, her man, gets into trouble, Qiao gets him out of it. She fades into the background when Bin needs to take the spotlight. Qiao even takes a fall for Bin when he needs her in a pinch. And that is when he forgets her. Qiao emerges from five years in prison to cold indifference. To Bin, it is as if she did not exist. "People should keep their emotions in check" Bin's new woman tells Qiao. And even China seems to have forsaken her. This is a land where cities are swallowed whole by reservoirs, and the dark water is rising around Qiao. But this ingenious woman is going to get her groove back and do what is right, Bin or no Bin.

Such depth and beauty to each element of this enthralling film. The cinematography is luminous, characters are fascinating, the story is not predictable, and bits of modern China are revealed for the complex wonders that they are. Depth is everywhere. Surprises are constant. Analogies are all around; tigers lurk in cages, a volcano looms in the distance, and a street performer picks out Qiao from a crowd and sings to her "who knew I'd ever see you again." He speaks to her heart but does not know it. The actor who plays Bin has one expression in his bag of tricks, so he could have been better, but otherwise the acting is quite good. North American premiere seen at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival.

"Ash Is Purest White" (2018 release from China; 148 min.) brings the story of Qiao and Bin. As the movie opens, we are informed it is "April 4, 2001", and we see Qiao making her rounds at a magic show of some sort. Later on, she goes into a club, which it turns out she and Bin are running. Bin is the leader of the jianghu gang. They seem to make a good boyfriend/girlfriend team. Then one day, as they are confronted by another gang, Bin is almost beaten to death, and it is Qiao who manages to step in when she shoots a gun in the air several times. The opposing gang scurries away, but Qiao is arrested and jailed for possession of a gun and lying about who owns the gun... What will become of Qiao in jail? and of Bin's recovery? To tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this is the last film from acclaimed Chinese writer-director Jia Zhanke, whose previous works includes the excellent "A Touch of Sin". With this latest film, Jia revisits many of the themes that have dominated his earlier films, and in that sense "Ash Is Purest White" is safe, almost predictable in a way. But that's like saying that Ingmar Bergman is safe and predictable for revisiting similar issues time and again in his movies. Given the film's running time of 2 1/2 hours and spanning over a decade and a half (from 2001 to 2017), just take it from me that a LOT is playing out (sorry, I don't want to spoil any further from the plot). The role of Qiao is played brilliantly by Zhao Tao (a/ka/ Mrs. Jia in real life), who of course has appeared in many of Jia's films. Much (but not all) of the movie is once again set in Jia's home province of Shanxi. And check out the scenery at the Three Gorges...

"Ash Is Purest White" premiered at last year's Cannes film festival to immediate acclaim, and it is currently rated 98% certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes for a reason. I had the good fortune of catching this while I was on a recent business trip to Washington, DC, where I saw it at the Landmark West End Cinema. The Friday evening screening where I saw this at was almost (but not quite) sold out. If you are in the mood for a top quality movie from China (yes, those words do go together nicely in this case), I'd readily suggest you check this out, be it in the theater (if you can), on VOD (more likely) or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray, and draw your own conclusion.

ASH IS PUREST WHITE - Chinese Director Zhangke Jia's (A TOUCH OF ZEN) latest is a sprawling drama about a two-bit local hood Bin (Fan Liao) and his moll Qiao (Tao Zhao; the Director's wife & muse). The first part of the story about their rise and fall takes place in the early 2000s and is the most purely entertaining with verve and visual impact, even if it covers a mostly familiar trajectory. We pick up the story several years later and the couple is estranged. Clearly the years (and a forced separation) has changed the individuals (especially Bin). The final section takes place in the present (more or less). ASH is a longish movie (136 minutes), not just in terms of time, but, also how the screenplay unfolds over the 17 year period. The acting and details are spot on (Zhao is particularly exceptional), but, the story drags after the sparkling opening section. Part of this is by design, without question, however, ASH is an example of a movie with so many apparent endings that one loses interest, rather than gains it. And, when we come to the conclusion, it is neither fully satisfying, nor, more importantly, seems worthy of the additional time spent to arrive at it. Still, ASH is a decent drama with some considerable merits (a long hotel sequence is deeply moving). The performances, Jia's direction and Eric Gautier's (MOTORCYCLE DIARIES) cinematography (combining 35mm with digital) are its strongest suits.