A new movie by Feng Xiaogang, Aftershock, tells the story of the devastating 1976 earthquake in Tangshan, and is the first IMAX movie to be produced outside of the U.S. Watch a trailer on YouTube:
People’s Daily reports on the premier held this week in the city of Tangshan:
About 10,000 locals watched the IMAX version of the film in Tangshan Stadium, with many in tears.Heavy rain fell soon after the ceremony ended at the midnight and it rained during the rehearsal on Sunday night, but during the four-hour ceremony there was no rain at all.
…The film, which costs about 100 million yuan ($15 million), focuses on the psychological aftershock the disaster imposes on a mother who has to choose between saving her son or daughter.
“Many directors hope their films are epics, but I would rather capture the fate of ordinary people,” Feng says.
Many extras in the film were survivors of the earthquake. In one scene of locals burning mock paper money for the dead on the streets 10 years after the earthquake, Feng told them to talk about anything they liked to their dead loved ones. It proved very emotional and many could not stop talking and crying even after the shooting ended.
Also, via Danwei, read “Eight Facts About Aftershock/Tangshan Earthquake” from cfensi.
