Shattered (Lao tang tou)

A Xu Tong presentation. Created by Han Lei. Directed, edited by Xu Tong.With: Tang Xixin, Tang Caifeng, Tang Yihong, Yang Yang, Lu Shiying. (Putonghua dialogue)A microcosm of China past and offer flows through Xu Tong's intimate docu "Shattered," where the maverick indie filmmaker is constantly on the refine his techniques and concerns proven in the previous "Wheat Harvest" and "Fortune Teller." Xu's capability to develop on colorful figures is unerring, with loquacious Tang Xixin and the sharp-tongued daughter Tang Caifeng (last observed in "Fortune Teller") ruling the screen. Additionally they repetition two completely different decades with engaging candor, prone to spark interest from adventurous fest developers. "Old Guy Tang," as he's nicknamed (also the pic's original, less emphatic title), is definitely an 80-year-old widower and upon the market vet from the railroads, that they good-naturedly appreciates in opening minutes. Living alone inside a ramshackle house in northeast Hebei province, he finds themself constantly hosting his grown children, though Xu causes it to be abundantly obvious that although Tang barely tolerates the majority of his kids, he keeps a detailed relationship with Caifeng. It's not hard to understand why. As she demonstrated in "Fortune Teller," Caifeng, operating within the shady prostitution business but attempting to broaden by having an equally illegal mining operation, is her very own lady and does not suffer fools happily. Hot-tempered Tang has made it their own travails and not hesitates to inform Xu (handling his characteristically up-close-and-personal camera and seem) exactly what's on his mind. Each, in this way, sees an expression within the other. Tales of Tang's past, by extension China's, simply pour from him. Despite many bitter reminiscences (the Communist Party ignored him when he declined to visit work so he could deal with his ailing youthful daughter), Tang still keeps lovingly presented portraits on his family room wall of key communist heroes from the twentieth century. Such particulars are essential to Xu like a filmmaker: When Caifeng runs some minor home enhancements and also the portraits are taken lower, it first seems the symbolic, moldy antiques might be set aside permanently but no, they are soon hung back on the repainted wall. The father's endless memory lane alternates using the daughter's more harmful current efforts, including attempting to help her jailed goddaughter Yang Yang, boost business at her brothel, cope with the mine (which Xu apparently had little use of) and usually stay a measure in front of the law. While Caifeng appears to locate failure everywhere she turns, she nonetheless keeps a pluckiness and determination that belie the title's air of defeat. What's shattered, as seen with the prism of the complex family, is really a cultural continuity which was maintained in Chinese homes in the past decades. Now, the elders remain to pretty much stew previously, as the youngsters must survive the advantage. As always, Xu's HD lensing is rough and ready, hardly refined visually but gaily immediate. Seem and subtitling take presctiption the rough side.Camera (color, HD), Xu seem (stereo system), Xu. Examined at Vancouver Film Festival (Dragons & Tigers), March. 1, 2011. (Also in Hong Kong, Rotterdam film festivals.) Running time: 105 MIN. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com