I Wish I Knew

Streaming video - 2010

Shanghai's past and present flow together in Jia Zhangke's poetic and poignant portrait of this fast-changing port city. Restoring censored images and filling in forgotten facts, Jia provides an alternative version of 20th century China's fraught history as reflected through life in the Yangtze city. He builds his narrative through a series of eighteen interviews with people from all walks of life-politicians' children, ex-soldiers, criminals, and artists (including Taiwanese master Hou Hsiao-hsien)-- while returning regularly to the image of his favorite lead actress, Zhao Tao, wandering through the Shanghai World Expo Park. (The film was commissioned by the World Expo, but is anything but a piece of straightforward civ...ic boosterism.) A richly textured tapestry full of provocative juxtapositions. Official Selection at the **Cannes Film Festival** and **Toronto International Film Festival**.

Saved in:
Subjects
Genres
Documentary films
Published
[San Francisco, California, USA] : Kino Lorber 2010.
2020.
Language
English
Other Authors
Jia Zhangke (film director), Hou Hsiao-hsien (actor), Zhao Tao
Online Access
A Kanopy streaming video
Cover Image
Item Description
Title from title frames.
Film
In Process Record.
Physical Description
1 online resource (streaming video file) (119 minutes): digital, .flv file, sound
Format
Mode of access: World Wide Web.
Access
AVAILABLE FOR USE ONLY BY IOWA CITY AND RESIDENTS OF THE CONTRACTING GOVERNMENTS OF JOHNSON COUNTY, UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, HILLS, AND LONE TREE (IA).