WALKING ON THE WILD SIDE (Lai Xiao Zi) Feature Film by Han Jie 2006 – 86 mins. HD blown up to 35 mm, China/France Coproduction Jia Zhang ke, Chow Keung for XStream Pictures – Natacha Devillers for Les Petites Lumières Sales & prints: petiteslumieres@free.fr ; chowkeung@yahoo.com
A gripping study of drifting youth in the mining province of Shanxi, Northern China in the early nineties. Experimenting with new found freedom in a post-socialist economy, three high school boys, “sworn brothers”, dream of liberty, carefreeness, and easy money. But life catches up with them… They are forced to face reality and wake up to a life similar to that of their parents, which they had tried to escape from. Based on true characters.
“Han excels at capturing the deadening landscape of barren hills and exhaust-filled skies, physical manifestations of the numbed inhabitants.” – Variety
Selective List of Awards and Festivals
Winner Tiger Award 2006 Rotterdam International Film Festival In Competition Taipei International Film Festival 2006 In Competition Milano International Film Festival 2006 In Competition Tokyo Filmex 2006 Official Selection Vancouver Film Festival 2006 Official Selection Sao Paulo Film Festival 2006 Official Selection Osian Film Festival 2006 Official Selection La Rochelle Film Festival 2006 Official Selection Barcelona Asian Film Festival 2006 Official Selection Vladivostok Film Festival 2006 Official Selection Alo Kino Poland Film festival 2006 Official Selection Jakarta International Film festival 2006