Brave Father
North American Premiere
Documentary| Chian | 2007 | 55 minutes | Director: Li Junhu
Producer: Ben Tsiang
Language: Mandarin + English subtitles
Produced by CNEX Foundation
In 2002, Han Peiyin’s son Shengli was accepted by university. It is both good and bad news to this peasant because he has no money to pay for his son’s expenses in college. Firmly believing that knowledge has the power to change destiny, he decides to leave his land and make a fortune in city. Will the destiny of his family be able to change?
Synopsis
Along with the flood of peasants coming into city, it is getting harder and harder to find jobs. The father Han can barely make 400 RMB a month, yet Shengli needs 9,000 RMB a year for college. The place where Han sleeps costs one RMB a day. At night, he uses a brick as his pillow.
For years, father Han has carried with him a small notebook, in which he records the amount of money he borrowed. Most are small sums of 10 or 20 RMB. He also wrote down his expectations for his son: “Around the year 2013 or so, that is, roughly in my sixties, Shengli will take our family to Beijing for a sightseeing visit. We will have plenty of money by then…”
Selected Award
2007 Official Selection The 20th FIPA International Festival of Audiovisual Programs
The Filmmaker
Li JUNHU (Director)
Li Junhu graduated from Xi’an Arts Academy with a degree in photography. He currently works for the International Division of Shaanxi TV Station. His TV documentaries have won many awards both in China and internationally. His previous works include: Cyber Love (2004), Accompanied Study (2005), Born in 1977 (2006), City (2006), etc.
Producer Ben Tsiang is in attendance.
