“The Continent” | 『後會無期』— a film by Hanhan
It has been my favourite film of all times. It’s not that there’s amazing VFX; or there’s a great use of mise-en-scene; or of the acting; or the story; or the shots. Those features are good, but those aren’t the reason that I like it. I love the feeling it has shown. The feeling that we try our best to be in control of our lives but we still fail. We are helpless. The feeling that life is a journey and that everyone encountered on the road is a passerby. I’m not sure about here in Melbourne, but in China, the helplessness feeling is among the population. People and stuff always get in your way or just make you do things. The main character Jianghe is told to go to the far west part of China to be a teacher while he is living in the far east part of China on an small, ‘nameless’ island. Metaphors are also used in this film which I won’t elaborate. However, do watch the film if you are interested in China.
Trailer with English subtitles enabled:
Trailer without English subtitles:
Here’s two music videos for the movie sound track. I love both of them. The lyrics are touching. Sometimes when I am sad, I can come to tears listening to them. The title of the movie, “The Continent”, stands for China. The movie is about a cross-country journey undertaken by Husheng, Jianghe and Haohan, but Husheng disappeared on the first day of the trip.
[The Chinese name of this movie actually means: see you no more, which is also the name for the second song I’ve put here. ]
Music Video of “Ordinary Road” | 『平凡之路』:
我曾经跨过山和大海 | I once toiled through mountains and seas
也穿过人山人海 | also the crowds of humanities
我曾经拥有着的一切 | Everything I ever possessed
转眼都飘散如烟 | has now all drift away like mist
我曾经失落失望失掉所有方向 | I was once frustrated, disappointed and lost on the road
直到看见平凡才是唯一的答案 | until found that ordinary life was the only answer
我曾经堕入无边黑暗 | I once fell into boundless darkness
想挣扎无法自拔 | struggled but failed to extricate myself
我曾经像你像他像那野草野花 | I was once like you, and him and her, the ordinary, and the wild plants
绝望着渴望着哭着笑着平凡着 | despaired, aspired, cried and laughed ordinarily
Music Video of “The End of the World” or “See you no more” | 『後會無期』: with a fraction of lyrics
