Aftershock
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User Rating
Current user rating: 92/100 (6 votes)
Profile
- Movie: Aftershocks / After Shock
- Chinese: 唐山大地震 (Tang Shan Da Di Zhen)
- Director: Xiaogang Feng
- Writer: Xiaowe Su
- Producer:
- Cinematographer: Yue Lu
- Release Date: July 22, 2010
- Runtime: 139 min.
- Language: Mandarin
- Country: China
Plot
During the tragic Tangshan earthquake in 1976, Li Yuanni (Fan Xu) finds her twins, daughter Fang Deng and son Da Feng, buried under a giant slab of concrete. Rescue workers inform Li Yuanni that she has to chose between the twins, because as soon as one child is extracted the other will perish. Terrified Li Yuanni, who already lost her husband in the earthquake, finally choose her son Da Feng.
Unknown to those at the chaotic scene, daughter Fang Deng overhears her mother making the choice and then is left mistakenly for dead. Several days later, Fang Deng is pulled from the rubble by another rescue team who thinks she is a dead corpse at first. Traumatized to the point that Fang Deng refuses to speak she is eventually adopted by a middle aged couple.
Years later, the mother Li Yuanni is still haunted by her decision and refuses to leave her home when her now successful businessman son returns to Tangshan. Li Yuanni believes she must stay in the home to guide the spirits of her husband and daughter back home. Meanwhile Fang Deng grows up as Wang Deng (Jingchu Zhang), but still harbors anger and bitterness at her mother's decisions.
Now in 2008, another devastating earthquake strikes the city of Sichuan. Fang Deng travels to the devastated city as a volunteer. There she overhears another volunteer tell the story of his mother's anguish over a decision made during the 1976 Tangshan earthquake involving himself and his twin sister ...
Cast
- Jingchu Zhang - Fang Deng/Wang Deng
- Fan Xu - Li Yuanni
- Chen Li - Da Feng
- Daoming Chen - foster dad
- Jin Chen - foster mom
- Guoqiang Zhang - father
- Zifeng Zhang - Fang Deng (young)
- Yi Lu
- Ziwen Wang
- Mei Yong
- Lili Liu
- Lixin Yang
- Zhong Lu
Trailer (Hong Kong)
Trailer (China)
Film Festivals
- 2010 (35th) Toronto International Film Festival - September 9-19 - Contemporary World Cinema *North American Premiere
- 2010 (29th) Vancouver International Film Festival - Sept. 30-Oct. 15 - Dragons and Tigers
- 2010 (12th) Mumbai Film Festival - October 21-28, 2010 - World Cinema
- 2010 (15th) Pusan International Film Festival - October 7-15 - A Window on Asian Cinema
- 2011 (25th) Fribourg International Film Festival - March 19-26, 2011 - International Competition *Swiss Premiere
- 2011 (13th) Udine Far East Film - April 29-May 7, 2011 *Italian Premiere
- 2011 (14th) Shanghai International Film Festival - June 11-19, 2011 - Panorama - View China: Most Focused Chinese Films
- 2011 (12th) San Diego Asian Film Festival - October 20 - 28, 2011 - Asia Pop!
Awards
- 2010 (4th) Asia Pacific Screen Awards - December 2
- "Best Feature Film"
- "Best Performance by an Actor" (Daoming Chen)
- 2011 (5th) Asian Film Awards - March 21, 2011
- "Best Actress" (Fan Xu)
- "Best Visual Effects"
- 2011 (13th) Udine Far East Film - April 29-May 7, 2011
- "Audience Award"
anyeeM229 Says:
Oct 28 2011 10:48 am
the numbers in the center of the posters say, "23 seconds, 32 years." that says a lot.
maneki hobbang Says:
Oct 28 2011 10:44 am
as the title suggests, the film is unique in focusing on the "aftershock"--how an earthquake breaks apart a family. the plot is more orginal and surprising than you'd probably imagine. the unspoken ties and emotions between family members are beautifully portrayed by the skillful actors. for those who enjoy historical films, it provides a lively and realistic piece of historical culture in the 1976 earthquake's time. i enjoy the film because, on top of that, it offers a fitting connection to the recent earthquake and the contemporary culture of the chinese family.
jeff Says:
Oct 04 2011 6:47 am
I lover Aftershock movie.
Aftershock is the "BEST" movie EVER, EVER, EVER!!!!!!!!
mooby Says:
Dec 20 2010 5:22 pm
Oh my god, I really really want to watch this. definitely on my wish list. I love Feng Xiaogang and I can already tell this would be amazing.
RamenLover Says:
Aug 19 2010 11:02 pm
Amazing movie & not because of the f/x (which was fine its own right). As the movie follows the diaspora of a familly affected by the 1976 Tangshan earthquake you can't helpt to watch without feeling true empathy towards the main characters & their plight. I know I had tears coming down on more than on occasion. Awesome story, awesome cast.