“Life has never appeared as pure, beatific and cruel”– Variety
“A sweeping marvel”– TIFF
“One of China’s most popular directors” – NY Times
Youth, directed by Feng Xiaogang and adapted from Yan Geling’s novel of the same name, shares the lives of a group of idealistic adolescents in a military art troupe in the People’s Liberation Army during the 1970s. Set at one of the most crucial and controversial periods in contemporary China and starring Xuan Huang (Feng Liu), Miao Miao (Xiaoping He), Caiyu Yang (Dingding Lin), Elane Zhong (Suizi), the film provides a glimpse into historic moments in mainland China, and also recalls the bittersweet memories of youth.
When Xiaoping joins the military, delicate dreams are dashed by the events of a China undergoing revolution. The devastating Sino-Vietnamese War crashes into the 1970s, changing the lives of the Army’s young new recruits forever. In this epic spanning several decades, Youth shows how Comrades of the People’s Liberation Army fight among themselves as much as on the battlefield and cause as much damage as the war that tore their lives apart.
Experience the film in the unique atomosphere of China Exchange’s Chinatown venue.
Yan Geling opened the China Exchange China in Context festival and shared some of her views on Youth. Watch the video here to learn more about her journey in writing and adapting her works into films.
Youth was screened in the Special Presentations section at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival and won the Best Film Award at the 12th Asian Film Awards. Enjoy it in Chinatown before it is released on DVD and Blue-ray in the UK. See the trailer here.
Youth is certificate 15.
