Sent Down Girl Views

General Goods

Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl (Chinese: 天浴; pinyin: Tiān Yù) is a 1998 Chinese film directed by actress Joan Chen based during the 1970s in People's Republic of China, during the Cultural Revolution's Down to the Countryside Movement, instituted by Mao for political reasons. This drama film is the directorial debut of Chen.[1] The film stars Lu Lu (Chinese: 李小璐) and Lopsang (Chinese: 洛桑群培).

Now out on video is Joan Chen ’s Xiu Xiu: the Sent Down Girl. With just a short run in theaters, this movie is full of tension and broken promises, and like most Chinese films, the principal characters die in the end. At times the pacing is slow, and the editing is awkward, but the scenery is beautiful (reminiscent of the enjoyable Russian film Close to Eden, which takes place in modern-day Mongolia). The characters as played by Lu Lu and Lopsang are endearing and absorbing, and, best of all, Xiu Xiu: the Sent Down Girl is a love story.

Based on the novella Tian Yu, by Yan Geling and written and directed by Joan Chen, Xiu Xiu: the Sent Down Girl is in fact two love stories set during the cultural revolution. The narrator, a boy whose own family has connections and therefore does not get sent down, is in love with his classmate Wen Xiu. Wen Xiu, affectionately called Xiu Xiu, has a tailor father and no such connections, so she is sent to the countryside with the other students.

Joan Chen's Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl comes to DVD with a widescreen anamorphic transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.66:1. The Mandarin soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital Surround. The picture and sound quality are both very good. English subtitles are accessible. Although there are no special features, the outstanding quality of the film itself makes this disc worth a look for any film enthusiast.