Youth (2017 film)

2017 Chinese film

Youth

Theatrical release poster

Traditional Chinese| 芳華
Simplified Chinese| 芳华
Literal meaning| Youthfulness
Hanyu Pinyin| fānghuá
Directed by| Feng Xiaogang
Written by| Geling Yan
Produced by| Wang Zhonglei
Starring| Huang Xuan
Miao Miao
Zhong Chuxi
Yang Caiyu
Edited by| Zhang Qi
Distributed by| IM Global[1]

Release dates

* September 7, 2017 (2017-09-07) (TIFF)
* December 15, 2017 (2017-12-15) (China)

Running time

| 135 minutes
Country| China
Language| Mandarin
Budget| CN¥120 million (US$16.5 million)
Box office| US$235.9 million[2]

Youth (Chinese: 芳华) is a 2017 Chinese coming-of-age drama film directed by Feng Xiaogang and written by Geling Yan.[3] The film is based on Yan's semi-autobiographical story You Touched Me.[4]: 260 It was screened in the Special Presentations section at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival.[5] It was scheduled to be released in China on October 1, 2017,[6][7][8] but after previews in Beijing and other cities was pulled from the National Day schedule. It was released on 15 December 2017.[9]

Youth grossed over $235 worldwide, becoming the sixth highest-grossing Chinese film of 2017.

## Synopsis

[edit]

The film chronicles the lives of a group of idealistic adolescents in a military art troupe in the People's Liberation Army during the Cultural Revolution. They experience love, lust, betrayal, and sufferings in the background of Mao era songs and dances. Through the narration of Xiao Suizi, the film follows the story of two key characters, Feng Liu and He Xiaoping. Xiaoping is a naive and innocent new recruit from Beijing, and Feng Liu is a morally impeccable character, whose comrades praise for being a real life Lei Feng. The pair also participate in the Sino-Vietnamese War in 1979 and become heroes for their act of courage.

Xiaoping eventually becomes the target of her roommates bullying for her provincial naive mannerisms. The majority of the acts are spearheaded by Hao Shuwen, the daughter of the regional commander.

After the war, they are honorably discharged from the Army but struggle to make ends meet in the Reform-era China while they learn lessons from soul-crushing experiences of love, lust, betrayal, and heartbreak.

## Cast

[edit]

* Huang Xuan (黄轩) as Liu Feng (刘峰)
* Miao Miao (苗苗) as He Xiaoping (何小萍)
* Zhong Chuxi (钟楚曦) as Xiao Suizi (萧穗子)
* Yang Caiyu (杨采钰) as Lin Dingding (林丁丁)
* Li Xiaofeng (李晓峰) as Hao Shuwen (郝淑雯)
* Wang Tianchen (王天辰) as Chen Can (陈灿)
* Wang Keru (王可如) as Xiao Balei (小芭蕾)
* Su Yan (苏岩) as the dance teacher
* Zhao Lixin (赵立新) as the commissar
* Sui Yuan (隋源) as Zhuoma (卓玛)
* Zhang Renbo (张仁博) as Zhu Ke (朱克)

* Zhou Fang (周放) as the head nurse
* Xue Qi (薛祺) as Secretary Wu (吴干事)
* Yang Shuo (杨烁) as the military chief
* Tao Hai (陶海) as the Psychiatrist

## Awards and nominations

[edit]

Awards  | Category  | Recipient  | Result  | Ref.

|
|
|
|

25th Beijing College Student Film Festival | Best Film | Youth | Nominated | [10][11]
Best Director | Feng Xiaogang | Won
Best Newcomer | Miao Miao | Won
Zhong Chuxi | Won
23rd Huading Awards | Best Film  | Youth | Nominated  | [12]
Best Director  | Feng Xiaogang  | Nominated
Best Actor  | Huang Xuan  | Nominated
Best Newcomer  | Miao Miao  | Nominated
Zhong Chuxi  | Won
Best Screenwriter  | Geling Yan  | Nominated
9th China Film Director's Guild Awards | Best Film  | Youth | Won  | [13][14]
Best Director  | Feng Xiaogang  | Nominated
Best Actor  | Huang Xuan  | Nominated
Best Actress  | Zhong Chuxi  | Nominated
37th Hong Kong Film Awards | Best Film from Mainland and Taiwan | Youth | Nominated  | [15]
12th Asian Film Awards | Best Film | Youth | Won | [16][17]
Best Director | Feng Xiaogang | Nominated
Best Newcomer | Zhong Chuxi | Nominated
Best Screenplay | Geling Yan | Nominated
Best Editing | Zhang Qi | Nominated
54th Golden Horse Awards | Best Adapted Screenplay | Geling Yan | Nominated  | [18]
Best New Performer | Zhong Chuxi  | Nominated
Best Art Direction  | Shi Haiying  | Nominated
Best Makeup & Costume Design  | Liu Xiaoli  | Nominated
9th Macau International Movie Festival | Best Picture | Youth | Won | [19][20]
Best Director | Feng Xiaogang | Won
Best Writing | Geling Yan | Won
Best Actor | Huang Xuan | Nominated
Best Cinematography | Luo Pan | Won
1st Marianas International Film Festival | Best Picture | Youth | Won | [21][22]
Best Director | Feng Xiaogang | Won
Best Screenplay | Geling Yan | Nominated
Best Supporting Actress | Yang Caiyu | Won
Best Cinematography | Luo Pan | Nominated
Best Original Film Score | Zhao Lin | Nominated
Best New Artist | Miao Miao | Nominated
Zhong Chuxi | Won

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Cannes: IM Global Picks Up Chinese Crowd-Pleasers 'Youth,' 'Detective Dee'". Variety. 9 May 2017.
2. ^ "Weekly China Boxoffice（2018）". Cboo. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
3. ^ "Filmart: Jackie Chan's Sparkle Roll Media launches int'l sales arm". Screen Daily. 12 March 2017.
4. ^ Tu, Hang (2025). Sentimental Republic: Chinese Intellectuals and the Maoist Past. Harvard University Asia Center. ISBN 9780674297579.
5. ^ Pond, Steve (15 August 2017). "Aaron Sorkin, Brie Larson, Louis CK Movies Added to Toronto Film Festival Lineup". The Wrap. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
6. ^ "Fang Hua". China.org.cn. 28 January 2017.
7. ^ "芳华 (2017)". Douban.
8. ^ "冯小刚新作 《芳华》新海报 展"姿·色"秀美腿". Tencent.
9. ^ "很抱歉，你要访问的页面不存在 - Mtime时光网". Archived from the original on 2019-05-05. Retrieved 2017-11-22.
10. ^ "Student film festival draws down the curtain". China Daily. May 7, 2018.
11. ^ "第二十五届北京大学生电影节闭幕式暨颁奖典礼圆满落幕". Tencent (in Chinese). May 7, 2018.
12. ^ "第23届华鼎奖提名：《战狼2》、《芳华》双雄逐鹿". Sina (in Chinese). March 20, 2018.
13. ^ "电影导演协会2017年度入围名单揭晓 吴京入围最佳导演". ifeng (in Chinese). February 27, 2018.
14. ^ "导演协会年度表彰《嘉年华》《芳华》 周冬雨影后". Sina (in Chinese). April 22, 2018.
15. ^ "Hong Kong Film Awards nominations 2018: Ann Hui's Our Time Will Come leads race with 11 nods". South China Morning Post. February 6, 2018.
16. ^ "Asian Film Awards 2018 nominations". South China Morning Post. January 11, 2018.
17. ^ Frater, Patrick (17 March 2018). "Asian Film Awards: 'Youth' Wins Top Prize From 'Demon Cat'". Variety. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
18. ^ "台北金馬影展 Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival". www.goldenhorse.org.tw.
19. ^ "2017年第九屆澳門國際電影節獎項提名名單". Macau International Movie Festival Official Website (in Chinese).
20. ^ "2017年第九屆澳門國際電影節獎名單". Macau International Movie Official Website (in Chinese).
21. ^ "塞班国际电影节公布入围影片 27部作品角逐奖项". Sina (in Chinese). November 22, 2017.
22. ^ "Youth is Best Picture at MIFF". Saipan Tribune. December 11, 2017.

## Externals

[edit]

* Youth at IMDb

* v
* t
* e

Films directed by Feng Xiaogang

* Lost My Love (1994)
* The Dream Factory (1997)
* Be There or Be Square (1998)
* Sorry Baby (1999)
* Sigh (2000)
* Big Shot's Funeral (2001)
* Cell Phone (2003)
* A World Without Thieves (2004)
* The Banquet (2006)
* Assembly (2007)
* If You Are the One (2008)
* Aftershock (2010)
* If You Are the One 2 (2010)
* Back to 1942 (2012)
* Personal Tailor (2013)
* I Am Not Madame Bovary (2016)
* Youth (2017)
* Only Cloud Knows (2019)
* If You Are the One 3 (2023)

* v
* t
* e

Asian Film Award for Best Film

* The Host (2007)
* Secret Sunshine (2008)
* Tokyo Sonata (2009)
* Mother (2010)
* Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (2011)
* A Separation (2012)
* Mystery (2013)
* The Grandmaster (2014)
* Blind Massage (2015)
* The Assassin (2016)
* I Am Not Madame Bovary (2017)
* Youth (2018)
* Shoplifters (2019)
* Parasite (2020)
* Wife of a Spy (2021)
* Drive My Car (2022)
* Evil Does Not Exist (2023)
* All We Imagine as Light (2024)

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template