'Red Amnesia' directed by Wang Xiaoshuai debuts in Venice

Directed by Wang Xiaoshuai, "Red Amnesia" is the only Chinese film qualified to compete for the Golden Lion award this year.(Photo/CNTV)

Directed by Wang Xiaoshuai, "Red Amnesia" is the only Chinese film qualified to compete for the Golden Lion award this year. It's a mysterious and suspenseful story, but rooted in reality. And on Thursday, the film made its world premier.

In "Red Amnesia", Chinese actress Lv Zhong plays an elderly woman living alone when a series of incidents occur: a brick is thrown through her window, an anonymous man calls her almost everyday…And suddenly, a mysterious boy appears in her life...a boy who holds the key to the secret of the woman's past.

"In fact, he is not only a boy, but also like a ghost that appears in every corner of the old lady's life," Wang said.

"She has a loneliness different from other elderly people, I think. There is an old saying in Chinese: a quiet conscience sleeps in thunder. (The old lady) did harmful things to others in the past. This remains like a shadow in her heart," said Lyu Zhong, actress of "Red Amnesia."

The story also reflects on the dilemma elderly people face in their relationships with their grown-up children. A dark corner in the woman's heart becomes a psychological burden when she stays with her children, and at last hurts herself.

"She has perhaps devoted all her love and concentration to her children's lives. She wishes them to have good lives," Lyu said.

"I think it's unrealistic to reach an agreement or have the same point of view between two generations. Maybe communication and comprehension are the best ways to solve the problem," said Qin Hao, actor of "Red Amnesia".

The world premier of "Red Amnesia" has been widely praised. In the director's eyes, the combination of a breathtaking story and social reality is powerful.

"In front of our society, reality, people, people's emotions, status, needs and anxieties, a film director really should pay attention to these things. It is the basis of our creation," director Wang said.

Wang Xiaoshuai is known as one of the most outstanding directors of the "Sixth Generation" in Chinese cinema. He rose to international success in 2001, when his film "Beijing Bicycle" won a Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival. His 2005 film "Shanghai Dreams" won the Cannes Prix du Jury Award. And his 2008 film "In Love We Trust" won another Silver Bear for Best Screenplay.