By Emmanuelle Khoo

Directed by Feng Xiaogang, I Am Not Madame Bovary is a stellar, satirical masterpiece that incorporates a powerful and intriguing storyline, a kick-ass heroine and beautiful cinematography.

Playing the lead is none other than China’s superstar, Fan Bingbing. Fan plays Li Xuelian, a village woman who stages a fake divorce with her husband Qin Yuhe (Li Zonghan) to secure a second apartment reserved by the government for single people. The plan was to remarry once the apartment was sorted. However, she found herself betrayed six months later when Qin decided to marry a different woman. Li decided to bring her case to the County Court, Chief Justice, the County Chief and the Mayor, eventually climbing up the judicial ladder towards Beijing but her efforts failed to produce any results. To make things worse, her ex-husband publicly accused her of being a “潘金莲” (pan jinlian; equates to “a whore”) which had destroyed both her case and her reputation.

The film is bold on many levels, visually striking with engaging dialogue/nuances, a far cry from the bland commercial or dire arthouse wannabes. In this social satire, Feng Xiaogang played on the problems of everyday and delivered a funny, and observant diagnosis of contemporary China, part-melodrama and part-slapstick that is different from his previous works. Everything from its storyline, sequences, colours, production are top-notch, earning the film many awards and much critical acclaim (see list of awards below). The storyline of a heroine who rises up to challenge her social position and the authorities, is both appealing and relatable to anyone.

Putting the film into context:

The Chinese title of the film 《我不是潘金莲》 immediately reveals a centralised plot revolving around restoring Li’s marred reputation and her quest for retribution. Fan gave a striking performance as a tempest on a mission; her character is fearless, humourless and most of all, angry. Adapted from the Chinese novel of the same name written by Liu Zhenyun, the director borrowed Madame Bovary, the central figure of Gustave Flaubert’s novel (1856) to situate pan jinlian to a global audience. Pan Jinlian is a well-known literary figure in the 17^th century Chinese classics (‘The Plum in the Golden Vase’ and ‘Water Margin’). This femme fatale also enjoyed similar notoriety as Madame Bovary and had since, became a derogatory term in Chinese for an adulteress. Meanwhile, Flaubert’s novel is centred around Emma Bovary, a doctor’s wife whose disparity between her romantic ideals and the realities of country life that got her involved in adulterous affairs, insurmountable debt and eventual suicide. Viewers may assume parallels can be drawn from Li Xuelian and Madame Bovary but it is quite the opposite. The protagonist fervently denies this accusation and fights against the injustices towards her.

I Am Not Madame Bovary is unusual and unconventional in many ways. Under the guise of a comedy, the film raises question on very real and current issues in contemporary China. For instance, in China you may see eager couples (fake or real) getting divorced for the purpose of buying a second property. For years, Chinese authorities had churned out measures to cool the local real-estate market, one of them placing a high deposit (between 50-70%) to restrict the purchase of a second home. For married couples, the answer to buying another property was to get a divorce for it allows one of the recently divorced partners to qualify for the lower down payment (about 30%). Like these couples, Li and her ex-husband was left with no choice but to cheat the system.

The plotline presents an underlying message reveals the director’s sensitivity towards the pain and joy of the everyday Chinese citizen. Feng cleverly turns to comedy to make everyday parlance and nuances, and miscommunication between the characters of different backgrounds and social status, amusing with bone fide laugh-out-loud moments.

Half the film (as the trailer reveals) is also shot and shown in a circular aspect ratio, mirroring the literati paintings of the Song Dynasty. The pictorial effects in a round frame also feel as though we are looking through a telescope, or a peep show. This circle later morphs into an oblong frame as Li goes to Beijing. Perhaps this unconventional frame adds to the comedic elements in the film by presenting the story or life as a comic strip. The film also cheekily uses a series of oil paintings in the style of antique erotica to briefly illustrate the story of Pan Jinlian.

Although it is always best to know your Mandarin or have some in-sight to contemporary Chinese society, it is safe to say all viewers will fully grasp the storyline and social situation without getting confused. It is a remarkable film that is indeed different and beautiful. 

‘I am Not Madame Bovary’ will be available in selected UK cinemas on 26^th May 2017

5月26日，英国笑看方圆 – IN CINEMAS MAY 26

《我不是潘金莲》是由冯小刚执导，范冰冰领衔主演，郭涛、大鹏、张嘉译、李晨等联合主演的一部社会喜剧片。

剧情讲述了李雪莲（范冰冰饰）为了可以分到一份县城的房产跟丈夫秦玉河（字宗翰饰）假离婚，没想到后来丈夫跟另一女子结了婚，假离婚变成了真离婚。李雪莲去找秦玉河问话，要求秦玉河当面向她承认之前的离婚是假的，可是秦玉河非但不承认，还骂她是潘金莲。为了还自己一个清白，李雪莲开始状告他。但一件事很快变成了另一件事，为了纠正一句话，从镇到县、由市至省、再到北京，一路与形形色色的大男人斗智斗勇，李雪莲告了二十年。

影片采用圆形、方形、宽银幕三种画幅来讲故事，圆形画幅代表人情，方形画幅代表规矩和法治，无规矩不成方圆，“方圆之间代表的是人情社会到法治社会的转变”。

Awards:

64^th San Sebastian Film Festival – Best Film & Best Actress

41^st Toronto International Film Festival – FIPRESCI Special Presentations

11^th Asian Film Awards – Best Actress & Best Cinematography

53^rd Golden Horse Awards – Audience Choice Award & Best Director

Screenings:

PLAYING FROM MAY 26:

London – Odeon Panton Street

London – ICA 

London – Curzon Bloomsbury

London – Picturehouse Central

London – Hackney Picturehouse

London – Crouch End Picturehouse

London – Vue Westfield Stratford City

London – Everyman Belsize Park

Cambridge – Arts Picturehouse

Kingston Upon Thames – Odeon

Liverpool – Picturehouse at FACT

Manchester – HOME

Manchester – Vue Printworks

Sheffield – Showroom Workstation

Sheffield – Odeon

Newcastle upon Tyne – Tyneside Cinema

Newcastle upon Tyne – Empire Cinema

Edinburgh – Cameo Picturehouse

Glasgow – Glasgow Film Theatre

Glasgow – Cineworld Renfrew Street

Dublin – Irish Film Institute

Birmingham – Vue Star City

PLAYING FROM JUNE 9:

Coventry – Warwick Arts Centre

Belfast – Queen’s Film Theatre

Lewes – The Depot

PLAYING FROM JUNE 16:

Cork – Triskel Arts Centre

Leicester – Phoenix Square

PLAYING FROM JUNE 23:

Cardiff – Chapter

PLAYING FROM JUNE 30:

Hereford – Courtyard Arts Centre