South of the Clouds
South of the Clouds is a 2004 Chinese film and the second film directed by the writer Zhu Wen. The film stands in stark contrast to Zhus previous film. In terms of production, South of the Clouds received the cooperation of the state apparatus unlike 2001s Seafood which was an underground production shot on digital handheld cameras. In terms of story, the transgressive tale of a prostitute and a policeman in Seafood is a far cry from South of the Clouds gentle tale of a retiree who fulfills a lifelong desire to travel to the southern province of Yunnan literally South of the Clouds.
South of the Clouds was, at heart, an attempt by Zhu Wen to capture the image and beauty of Yunnan that he had experienced upon his first visit to the province. Beyond that, however, the film was an opportunity for Zhu to present his work to his home country. Following the completion of Seafood, Zhu wanted to make something that he could show to his parents and...friends in China. Unlike Seafood, South of the Clouds did not encounter any issues with the state censors, in part because the film strictly followed all the relevant regulations.South of the Clouds like many Chinese art films was screened at numerous film festivals around the world. It succeeded in winning a FIPRESCI prize and the Firebird Award for New Cinema at the 28th Hong Kong International Film Festival. The film also won a NETPAC award at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2004. ........
Source: Wikipedia
