Red Sorghum

Synopsis

"Red Sorghum" is Zhang Yimou's directorial debut in 1987, starring Gong Li and Jiang Wen, adapted from Mo Yan's novel of the same name. It tells the bloody story of the people in Northeast Gaomi Township, Shandong during the War of Resistance against Japan in the 1930s. The film won the Golden Bear Award at the 38th Berlin International Film Festival, making it the first film from New China to receive a top prize at an international film festival, with a Douban rating of 8.5.

Overview

Red Sorghum is a 1987 drama film directed by Zhang Yimou, marking his directorial debut. The film is adapted from Mo Yan's 1986 novellas Red Sorghum and Sorghum Wine, with a screenplay co-written by Chen Jianyu, Zhu Wei, and Mo Yan. Starring Gong Li and Jiang Wen, with supporting roles by Teng Rujun among others, the film was produced by Xi'an Film Studio. It holds a rating of 8.5 on Douban.

On February 23, 1988, Red Sorghum won the Golden Bear, the top prize at the 38th Berlin International Film Festival, becoming the first film from New China to receive a top award at a major international film festival. This historic breakthrough not only catapulted Zhang Yimou and Gong Li to fame but also signaled the formal entry of Chinese cinema onto the world stage. Mo Yan's original novel also gained wider international attention due to the film's immense success, laying a crucial foundation for his future Nobel Prize in Literature.

Plot

The story is set in the 1930s in Northeast Gaomi Township, Shandong. My grandmother, Jiu'er (played by Gong Li), is a beautiful and headstrong young woman whose greedy father marries her off to Li Datou, the leprous owner of a distillery. During the wedding procession, the sedan carrier Yu Zhan'ao (played by Jiang Wen) falls for Jiu'er at first sight. Three days later, Li Datou is found murdered, and while everyone suspects the truth, no one investigates.

Jiu'er takes over the distillery and, through her intelligence and determination, turns it into a thriving business. Yu Zhan'ao, in a drunken state, barges into Jiu'er's room, and the two become involved. Jiu'er stops hiding their relationship and lives openly with Yu Zhan'ao. With the help of Uncle Luohan (played by Teng Rujun), they brew a famous liquor known as "Eighteen Li Red."

Their peaceful life is shattered by the arrival of Japanese invaders. The Japanese army burns, kills, and loots in Northeast Gaomi Township, and Uncle Luohan is brutally murdered by Japanese soldiers. Yu Zhan'ao leads the villagers in setting an ambush using sorghum wine, engaging in a desperate battle against the Japanese. Amidst the smoke of gunpowder and the flames of burning sorghum wine, a group of simple Chinese farmers use their flesh and blood to demonstrate an unyielding national spirit.

Cast

Cultural Impact

Red Sorghum is a landmark in Chinese film history. Zhang Yimou used a dominant red color palette, filming the sorghum fields of Northeast Gaomi Township like a sea of fire. Red in the film symbolizes vitality, passion, and blood—red sorghum, red wine, the red sun, and blood—creating a visually powerful world brimming with primal energy.

The film's music is equally unforgettable. The theme song, "Sister, Go Boldly Forward," is sung in the rugged Shandong dialect, accompanied by traditional instruments like the suona, fully unleashing the raw power of Northwest Chinese folk music. This song remains widely popular to this day, becoming a classic of Chinese film music.

This film also inaugurated the golden partnership era of Zhang Yimou and Gong Li. Over the next decade, the duo collaborated on a series of classic works such as Raise the Red Lantern, To Live, and The Story of Qiu Ju, collectively writing one of the most glorious chapters in Chinese cinema. Jiang Wen's performance in the film is also outstanding, perfectly capturing Yu Zhan'ao's wildness, ruggedness, and bloodiness.

Winning the Berlin Golden Bear had a profound impact on the Chinese film industry. It proved that Chinese stories and Chinese cinematic language could achieve the highest international recognition, inspiring a generation of Chinese filmmakers to reach for the world. Subsequently, works by Fifth Generation directors like Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige frequently appeared at international film festivals, ushering in unprecedented international attention for Chinese cinema.

References

1. Douban Movie: https://movie.douban.com/subject/1306505/
2. Baidu Baike: https://baike.baidu.com/item/红高粱/18820
3. Wikipedia: https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-cn/红高粱_(电影)