Violin (Xiao Ti Qing)

Running time: N/A

World Premiere Wu is unemployed and unfulfilled. While helping his mother sell newspapers on the streets of Shanghai, Wu finds a violin and feels that learning to play it will give some meaning to his empty life. Joining a class at the local children's center, he begins to scratch out sounds on his instrument, unfazed by the laughter of the young students. At first Wu's neighbors are pleasantly surprised by his ambition, but as the screeching sounds emanate from his apartment at all hours, they turn against him, demanding that he stop the awful noise. Wu's enthusiasm soon turns into obsession. By practicing non-stop, he is determined to prove to himself that he is capable of success. But he also has become smitten with his young teacher, for whom he will do anything to get approval and just a little bit of affection. While Wu's teacher is patient and understanding, she does not comprehend the depth of feeling her student has for her and his instrument. Things are about to change for both of them. Featuring captivating performances by Wu Chen (Red Lantern) and Gu Jing Lin, Violin is about love and passion. Director Jiang Cheng offers an intimate portrayal of the working class neighborhoods of China to show a man whose tendencies will be his undoing-even while succeeding in making the music he so desperately needs. - Sandy Wolf