VIFF -- Review: A Girl Unknown

The film traces the lives of girls and women in China

A Girl Unknown (2026)

The film opens showing a shy six-year-old girl sitting on a rock as she watches other children play in the water. Lin Juan (Cao Ruofan) is a tomboy who doesn't like wearing dresses or following the expectations of how a girl should behave.

But her father doesn't seem to mind, and makes her a kite out of bamboo and paper. However, when he dies suddenly, her mother soon finds another partner and is pregnant in a rural village. 

Lin Juan is played by Cao Ruofan

She takes Juan to an auntie in the city, perhaps Guangzhou, for what the girl is initially told a few months. But the reality is that her mother is not coming back, and thus begins Juan living a new identity, and trying to adapt to her new surroundings.

The auntie is kind, sophisticated, but her husband dislikes to the girl. Ten years later Juan (now played by Li Gengxi) is a teenager in the mid-1980s who loves dancing, listening to Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing and hanging out with her friends. But does she really belong?

Throughout A Girl Unknown we see how girls and women are treated in Chinese society, and how Juan tries to navigate the system on her own terms. At one point she gets a job in a textile factory, and viewers get a glimpse of what life is like, and how workers try to survive being cogs in a big, never-ending wheel.

Li Gengxi is the older Ruan in the film

Juan lives a difficult life, psychologically, trying to understand how her life came to be this way, and the audience is too. 

It is a reminder that women in China are theoretically supposed to be "holding up half the sky" according to Mao Zedong, but in reality they are expected to do that and more without much appreciation or respect.

A Girl Unknown is first-time director Zou Jing's subtle but devastating critique of women's lives in China, both rich and poor, and her two leading actresses playing Juan at six and 17 are excellent. Not only do they look very similar, but they each retain that tomboyishness and rebellious streak.

While the pace of the film may seem slow at times, a lot of things happen, and the motif of water recurs over and over again to great effect.

This is Zou's debut film

A Girl Unknown

Directed by Zou Jing

128 mins

Black and White Photography at M+

Two Women (Gloucester Road) by Yau Leung

At Hong Kong's M+, there was a special exhibition featuring black and white photographs sponsored by the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Entitled Noir & Blanc: A Story of Photography, it seems like a good excuse to features pictures from famed photographer Fan Ho, known as the "Cartier-Bresson of the East". 

Ho's photos show cool composition

He was born in Shanghai in 1931 and at the age of 14 was given his first camera, a Kodak Brownie from his father. Within a year he won his first photography competition in 1949 and when he was 18 years old he bought a twin lens Rolleiflex.

A few years later Ho and his parents moved to Hong Kong, where he created numerous stunning images of the city. They include Smoky World, 1959, where he has a low angle shot looking up at people walking through Central Market. It looks very dramatic with a smoky atmosphere as people walk up and down the stairs, and there are gradient tones from white to black.

One his his most famous pictures is Approaching Shadow in 1954, where Ho composes a striking image of a lone woman stands against a wall looking down. In this photograph he manipulated the image by adding a diagonal shadow in the darkroom, apparently alluding to the fading of youth.

Another lovely photograph called Reflection, 1951, features the patterned grilles on windows and in one of them is a shadow of a person.

Liu captures everyday Chinese life

There are other photographers like Yau Leung's Two Women (Gloucester Road) taken in 1961. Two women shown from the back wearing form-fitting qipaos and heels as they walk under the covered walkways of shophouses in Wan Chai. 

For a bit of brevity, contemporary photographer Liu Heung-shing's China After Mao - Skating in Dalian, 1981, shows a man wearing drab work clothes but donning a pair of roller skates and skating past Mao Zedong, who stands valiantly in the wind.

It's a great contrast between the two, Mao serious and looking undeterred, while the man holds a bird-like pose, his left leg in the air, his arms out wide, showing that Western capitalism has made life more fun in China. 

The exhibition even has a self-portrait of landscape photographer Ansel Adams. Called Self-Portrait, Monument Valley, United States, taken in 1958, he is a silhouette, standing on a mountain with his camera on a tripod as there are lightning bolts in the sky over the mountains. 

Adams' wild self-portrait

What a lovely treat to see these photographs, particularly those of Fan Ho!

Noir & Blanc: A Story of Photography

On until July 1, 2024

M+

China's "Old Friend" Henry Kissinger Dies at 100

Kissinger made his last trip to China in July this year

At dinnertime, I received breaking news that former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger had died. He was 100 years old.

And as expected, Chinese state media described him fondly as "an old friend of China".

So old a confidant was he that earlier this year the centenarian made one last trip to Beijing, where Kissinger had way more guanxi that he got an audience with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, and not Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.

He has met every Chinese leader from Mao to Xi

But alas China is now without its greatest advocate, who according to Xinhua news agency, visited the Middle Kingdom over 100 times.

Interesting fact -- so what was he doing in China all those times?

Can you imagine going on a plane to China over 100 times? That alone is gobsmacking, not to mention how many air miles he racked up.

In his later years, Kissinger claimed he was concerned about China and the United States in a "new cold war". 

Was he really?

There are questions who were Kissinger's clients after he left public office and had his own consultancy, Kissinger Associates. When he was appointed to investigate why the US government was unable to detect and prevent the attacks on September 11, 2001, Kissinger found out he would have to disclose his firm's clients and abruptly withdrew.

What was he hiding?

In time this will be revealed one way or another. 

Nevertheless, he will always be remembered as the one who helped break the ice between US President Richard Nixon and Chinese leader Mao Zedong. And another interesting fact -- he is the only American to have dealt with every Chinese leader from Mao to Xi.

That is super guanxi, my friend... but alas it had to end sometime...

Baijiu-infused coffee, anyone?

China has baijiu-infused coffee drinks for the younger crowd

Looking for another way to spike your coffee instead of the usual splash of Bailey's?

How about adding baijiu?

There are some 14 baijiu-infused coffee drinks

Kweichow Moutai is now offering the fiery grain-based liquor in coffee drinks from lattes to Americanos in another bid to appeal to the younger generation.

Last summer the baijiu brand teamed up with China Mengniu Dairy to offer alcohol-infused ice cream and it was a hit -- at one point demand was so high it was sold out everywhere.

Perhaps Kweichow Moutai is hoping baijiu-infused coffee will be just as popular.

The coffee drinks using Moutai Flying Fairy at 43 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) were soft launched in Guangzhou last week with 14 different types of coffee beverages with prices ranging from 28 yuan to 42 yuan (US$4-US$6). Customers could also request a dose of higher grade baijiu called Moutai Flying Fairy which has 53 percent ABV.

The drinks are also available in Chongqing and Zhengzhou with varying menus and prices, but it's not clear where the coffee beans were sourced. Or does it matter as the taste might be overwhelmed by the baijiu fiery sensation down the throat?

Drinks range from 28 yuan to 48 yuan

Baijiu has always been synonymous with the Chinese ruling elite ever since Mao Zedong served it at state dinners for US President Richard Nixon during his historic visit in 1972. It is also the gift of choice to government officials, with the popular saying: "Those who buy Moutai never drink it, while those who drink it never buy it."

In addition, Moutai is the dominant player in the market with a market capitalisation of 2.12 trillion yuan (US$296 billion), almost three times more than its nearest competitor, Wuliangye.

Coffee purists will probably shun this latest creative collaboration, but China's coffee drinking market is still young and will probably be willing to try the baijiu-infused coffee at least once.

Will the Moutai overpower the taste of the coffee? And will the caffeine cancel out the alcoholic effects on the body? Too many questions.

60 Years of Lei Feng Propaganda

It is the 60th anniversary of Lei Feng Day

Today March 5 is the 60th anniversary of "Lei Feng Day" in China.

Lei Feng was a model soldier that the Chinese Communist Party likes to trot out once a year to remind people of his selflessness and altruism. 

For example he was reported to have hand washed his fellow comrades' uniforms and even exposed counterrevolutionaries.

Lei was apparently a model selfless soldier

But ironically he was not known until after his death at the age of 21 when a telephone pole, struck an army truck, hit him as he was directing the truck in backing up.

He kept a diary, recording all his good deeds, which made him a perfect example for generations of CCP members to follow. But some scholars believe his diary was forged under the direction of Lin Biao to improve Mao Zedong's image following the disastrous Great Leap Forward.

Then in 1963 Mao declared March 5 Lei Feng Day, urging people to "Learn from Lei Feng".

Last year a Chinese state media crowed: "Lei likened himself to a small yet indispensable 'screw' inside a machine, and vowed to 'never rust'." 

How poetic.

Even Western companies got into the game. Kentucky Fried Chicken branded one of its China-based outlets with a Lei Feng theme four years ago, featuring Lei's quotes on the walls and "words from his poems playing as background music".

Hilarious.

Even superheroes need to learn from Lei (Cowhig)

Chinese leader Xi Jinping is perpetuating Lei's image, describing him as a "role model of an era." Last week Xi announced that "learning from Lei Feng" was essential to "building a modern socialist country."

However, the public may not be following Xi's lead -- three official Lei Feng biopics in 2013 played to "near empty" theatres, state media reported.

Why?

Han Rongbin, associate professor of international affairs at the University of Georgia and expert on authoritarian propaganda says Lei's relevance "has withered over time."

However, while Lei "doesn't generate a huge resonance, especially among the middle class... but it's still a propaganda symbol, so I don't think the [CCP] is going to give it up anytime soon," Han said.

So... Happy Lei Feng Day to you!

The Tense Encounter

Trudeau claims Chinese interference in Canada, Xi not pleased

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau finally worked up the courage to speak his mind to Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia.

Trudeau had to wait until Micheal Kovrig and Michael Spavor were back safely on Canadian soil, and then months of Covid-19 to finally meet Xi in person.

In the short terse informal meeting, Trudeau brought up the issue of China covertly funding 11 candidates in the 2019 federal elections 

Xi refuses to look Trudeau in the eye

Some say the exchange was meant for the Canadian domestic audience to show Trudeau standing up to Xi. But instead of being diplomatically suave with some chosen, firm words, Trudeau seems to look like rookie.

In the Canadian pool footage, Xi is annoyed that Trudeau had leaked their conversation to the media. 

"It's inappropriate to tell the newspaper what we talked about. That's not what we did," says Xi. "If there is sincerity, we should communicate well with each other in a respectful manner. Otherwise the result is hard to say. [We need to] create conditions, create conditions."

Others say Xi is annoyed, expecting deals to be kept under wraps but now they've been exposed.

Interesting that Xi refused to look Trudeau in the eye, and irritated Xi cuts the conversation short, shakes hands and leaves with a smile on his face. Trudeau scurries off before reporters can grill him.

In any event, Canada is not a priority in China's books, having been in the doghouse for the last few years, particularly since the arrest of Meng Wanzhou and the subsequent trial which took years to finally come to its conclusion.

Alleged "police service station" in Markham, ON

"Canada's been in the penalty box for a few years now," said Andrew Cooper, a professor with the Balsillie School of International Affairs at the University of Waterloo.

"This is a very different China. President Xi is in a consolidated position. If he's not the new Mao, he's certainly in a position where he can be a central figure that can work in a way that we didn't anticipate when the G20 was created."

Canadian media are now focused on Chinese influence in the country, uncovering proxies who are used to funnel money from China to fund political candidates. There is also the issue of Chinese "service stations", three of which are in Ontario, but there could be more.

There are numerous "China-Canada friendship associations" that have a shell website or Facebook page, but don't reveal who is behind them... 

The media may not be able to get to the bottom of the matter, but the fact that Chinese influence is on their radar is enough to make Beijing worry.

China's Nascent #metoo Movement Stumbles

Zhou accepts rejection of her appeal, vows to find evidence

The #metoo movement in China is struggling to gain momentum as the courts have made it hard to prosecute the perpetrators.

Four years ago Zhou Xiaoxuan claimed that popular TV state media host Zhu Jun forcibly kissed and groped her when she was an intern at the station in 2014.

Zhu is a famous state media TV host

Her case was finally heard in December 2020 and drew a large crowd, including foreign reporters who tried to cover the story before being dragged away by police. 

She originally sued Zhu for a public apology and 50,000 yuan (US$7,400) in damages.

However the court ruled the following year there wasn't enough evidence to prosecute Zhu so Zhou appealed and again yesterday that appeal was denied on similar grounds.

"Four years have passed, and the most important thing is that we have raised this question: when a woman encounters sexual harassment in a closed space, is her pain worth paying attention to?" Zhou, also known as Xianzi, said to supporters outside the court.

After the hearing she said: "Victory is not that important to me... I accept this outcome."

Zhou spurred China's #metoo movement

The 29-year-old Zhou said she will focus on gathering more evidence, such as police transcripts of interviews with her parents after she reported the incident -- but was not presented in court -- as well as surveillance footage.

Both may be hard to get now years after the event. But it is important that the landmark case was heard in court for the record. 

Sexual harassment is not uncommon in China, which has a patriarchal culture where men have misogynist views of women. While Mao Zedong may have claimed that "women hold up half the sky", they are not treated as equals in reality. 

Senior female leaders in the upper echelons of government are few and far between, let alone leading companies in the public and private sector.

Despite the growing #metoo movement and a law on sexual harassment passed in 2020, not many women are willing to come forward to take their perpetrators to court. But Zhou hopes she has set the foundation for others to carry the movement forward, saying "... perhaps the next victim that walks into court can receive more trust".

Menacing men standing near the courthouse

Meanwhile Zhu has since sued her for defamation, but Zhou said there hasn't been further developments on the case.