Trap Street, Dir. Vivian Qu, China, 84min, 2013, color, drama
Li Qiuming is a young trainee at a digital mapping company. His job is to survey the streets of the ever-changing city and keep the mapping system up to date. To make ends meet, he installs video cameras at public venues, but hides his side job from his strict father who is a senior editor of a government-run magazine. One day while out surveying, he has a brief encounter with a beautiful young woman who disappears into a secluded alley. He learns that the data he collected of that street won’t register in the mapping system. The street has disappeared as if it never existed. Desperate to reconnect with the mysterious woman he continues his investigation of the unmappable street only to discover something that will change his life forever.
Screened worldwide in Venice, Toronto, Vancouver, Rotterdam, New Directors/New Films at Lincoln Center (NY), but not in China due to the film’s lack of approval by the Chinese government. The film is the directorial debut of Vivian Qu, a Golden Bear winning producer and a key figure in the Chinese independent film circle. Half of the film’s crew came from Jia Zhangke’s team, with lighting design by Wong Chi Ming who works for Wong Kar Wai. The cast: Lu Yulai (“Li Qiuming”) , an award-winning actor and a veteran in Chinese art house films, and He Wenchao (“Guan Lifen”), a graduate of the Central Academy of Drama in Beijing. The result is a technically superb, socially relevant story, simply a good independent film that reflects the rapidly-changing urban life of Nanjing, China. Japan premiere!
Director’s Statement:
Rapid economic development during the past thirty years has given China a shiny veneer: one of openness, prosperity, and freedom. While actively pursuing material wealth, the Chinese people are also enjoying the new found freedoms through the Internet, media, and technology. As to what the country was thirty years ago, the younger generation is largely ignorant, while the older generation is eager to forget. It is not until one day we discover that an ordinary person has been detained without any explanation, or that a website is suddenly blocked, or that a text message cannot be sent because it contains a “sensitive” word, do we realize that the society we live in is still full of secrecy and paradoxes. It is only at times like these that we begin to question ourselves whether the deeply rooted mentality of the past has really changed; whether being 90% free really amounts to true freedom.
These were the kind of questions which gave rise to the story. We often say that truth is hidden from us. But I believe that when we fail to see, it is because we are unable to observe, or unwilling to look. We are the victim and the accomplice at the same time.
About Surveyors –
Casting a lonely figure on vast lands, looking into a mysterious device, and waving to a partner in the distance—the image of land surveyors made a deep impression in my childhood. As time goes by, they seem to have disappeared from my sight, perhaps because there’s no more land to be surveyed.
In the last few years however, when I sit in taxis and zoom by the skyscrapers that pop up one after another in major Chinese cities, I see them again. This time, differently dressed, differently equipped, often with computers by their sides, and most importantly the difference lies in their faces: younger. They belong to a new generation of surveyors who became much in demand. Their playground is no longer bare lands but the ever-bustling cities: they record every real estate development, measure the contours of newly widened streets. They are the link between the fast changing city and the little digital maps in our GPS.
About Trap Street –
In traditional map making, a “trap street” is a fictitious entry of a non-existent street on a map, for the purpose of “trapping” potential copyright violators. In other words, it is a street that exists on the map but not in reality.
The film however, builds on the reverse of the original meaning. On one level, a street that exists in reality but not on maps can be quite probable if not common, whether it is due to human errors, or deliberate decisions from authorities. On a more profound level it allows me to ponder upon what is real and unreal, and how our perception mirrors reality. The storytelling and visual style all grew from this idea.
This is not a film about important people or events that make headlines. It is about one of those many small, undocumented incidents that happen to ordinary people. It is so small that outside the person’s immediate circle, no one knows for sure what had happened, or even bothers to find out.
Qiuming’s search for a missing Forest Lane is our search for truth. Maybe we will never find it, but at least we cannot be ignorant or fearful.
Shooting in Nanjing –
But where can I find “Forest Lane”—a place which speaks romance and mystery at the same time—in today’s China? Most of the older districts in major cities are wiped out en masse and replaced by tall, uncharacteristic office buildings. Forest Lane may very well only exist in our memories.
I am no avid traveler. Of the few cities I had the chance of visiting, Nanjing first came to mind. The old capital of several dynasties including the Republic of China (pre-1949), and situated at the dividing line between northern and southern China, Nanjing is a city with rich and tragic history. While striving towards modernity, the now provincial capital seems to have burdened itself with its fallen grandeur. Conservatism and bureaucracy still permeates the air in this otherwise beautiful, tree-lined city.
I wasn’t disappointed even on my first, informal scouting trip to Nanjing. In the northwest part of the city center, I found what I was looking for. Small, almost identical streets lined with plane trees by day and cast iron lamps by night compose the maze of this century old district—the remains of the diplomatic rows from the Republic era. The tightly closed iron gates immediately speak of secrecy. Walking through those dark streets late at night when traffic has stopped, all you can hear is the sound of sporadic barking, the static of a walkie-talkie suddenly coming from nowhere, and the wind blowing through leafy treetops. It was surreal. It was perfect.
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION
The Casting –
Casting for Li Qiuming was in fact not that difficult. Lu Yulai is a veteran in Chinese art house films. He had a background in scriptwriting and that made it really easy for me to communicate with him. Upon reading the script he immediately said he wanted to play Qiuming. Having seen him in other films—mostly playing quiet, introverted characters—I told him my concern was not the second half of the film (which I knew he was perfect for) but the first, where Qiuming is this innocent, carefree person who doesn’t think much before he acts. But he was very confident, reassured me that he could do it. I told him that I don’t want 100% of his performance. I want 120%. After all this is his film—my camera follows him in every single scene. The result is obvious. Yulai’s control of his dialogue is rare among his peers. He also has perfect sense for timing and pacing, as in long, continuous takes this becomes crucial. But most importantly, he made us love him, believe in him, and feel for him.
The character of Guan Lifen was a challenge. I was casting in the age group of late twenties to early thirties. But nowadays most actresses we could find in this age group still look, dress and behave like young girls. I wanted a real woman with maturity and complexity, not just beauty or youthfulness. I told my crew that I need a Monica Vitti! Not all of them understood what I meant and someone actually went out and got me a Eurasian girl. Then I thought of Wenchao. I met Wenchao a couple of years back for another project and knew she was moving from acting to directing. I asked her to come to a screen test. Seeing her next to Yulai, one can immediately feel the chemistry between them: a little timid, a little romantic, and there is definitely a secret yearning behind a constrained façade.
The Music –
Zuoxiao Zuzhou is an important rocker, singer, lyricist and composer. The closing credits music in the film “You are a slice of Rainbow” comes from his 2008 album “Do you know where the east is?” He is known for writing provocative works and because of that his performances are often restricted in China.
When I tried to find the right composer for the film, I immediately thought of Zuoxiao. So I went through his albums to familiarize myself with his work. Then I discovered “Rainbow”. It was another happy coincidence in the making of this film—it had everything I needed. It is unequivocally Chinese, modern with a touch of the traditional. Underneath the gay and almost celebratory melody there is a neurotic, chaotic undertone injected with his trademark sarcasm.
Vivian Qu / 2013
ABOUT THE CREW
Vivian Qu (Writer/Director)
A Golden Bear winning producer and a key figure in the Chinese independent film circle, Vivian Qu has produced awarding winning films such as NIGHT TRAIN (2007 Un Certain Regard, Cannes Film Festival), KNITTING (2008 Director’s Fortnight), LONGING FOR THE RAIN (2013 Rotterdam), and BLACK COAL THIN ICE (2014 Berlinale, Golden Bear). TRAP STREET is her directorial debut.
Sean Chen (Producer)
Sean Chen has been a close collaborator of Vivian Qu on many of her film projects. He is the executive producer of Night Train (2007 Cannes Film Festival) and producer of Trap Street (2013 Venice Critics’ Week).
Tian Li (Cinematographer)
Tian Li started out as the assistant cameraman for renowned Chinese director Jia Zhangke in his 2004 film The World. He has since become a noted cinematographer of the new generation. His recent works include A Touch of Sin (2013 Cannes Film Festival), A Simple Life (2011 Venice Film Festival), Night Train (2007 Cannes Film Festival), Still Life (2006 Venice Film Festival), and The World (2004 Venice Film Festival).
Matthieu Laclau (Cinematographer)
Matthieu Laclau has been working as a cinematographer and an editor in Beijing for the past five years. He graduated from the Paris 3 University in France with a Film Theory Masters Degree. His recent works include A Touch Of Sin (2013 Cannes Film Festival), Fidaï (2012 Toronto Film Festival), The First Aggregate (2012 Torino Film Festival), and Mr. Tree (2011 Locarno Film Festival).
Liu Qiang (Art Director)
Liu Qiang is an award-winning art director. His works include A Touch of Sin (2013 Cannes Film Festival), Mr. Tree (2011 Locarno Film Festival), 24 City (2008 Cannes Film Festival), Night Train (2007 Cannes Film Festival), and Still Life (2006 Venice Film Festival).
Yang Hongyu (Editor)
Yang Hongyu is an award-winning editor who has worked with many notable directors including Wang Xiaoshuai, Tian Zhuangzhuang, John Woo and Ann Hui. Her recent works include Chongqing Blues (2010 Cannes Film Festival), Red Cliff (2008), In Love We Trust (2007 Berlin Film Festival), The Go Master (2006 Asian Pacific Awards), Beijing Bicycle (2001 Berlin Film Festival).
Zhang Yang (Sound Designer)
Zhang Yang was a founding member of Sober, a popular Chinese rock band of the 90s. His works as sound designer include A Touch of Sin (2013 Cannes Film Festival), Night Train (2007 Cannes Film Festival), Still Life (2006 Venice Film Festival), The World (2004 Venice Film Festival), Uniform (2003 Vancouver Film Festival), and Pickpocket (1997 Berlin Film Festival).
Wong Chi Ming (Lighting Design)
Wong Chi Ming is a longtime collaborator of legendary Hong Kong director Wong Kar Wai. His works include A Touch of Sin (2013 Cannes Film Festival), Eros (2004), 2046 (2004 Cannes Film Festival), Infernal Affairs (2002), and Fallen Angels (1995).
ABOUT THE CAST
Lu Yulai (“Li Qiuming”)
An award-winning actor, Lu Yulai has starred in a number of Chinese films including PEACOCK (2005 Berlin Film Festival), COURTHOUSE ON HORSEBACK (2006 Venice Film Festival), and KNITTING (2008 Director’s Fortnight).
He Wenchao (“Guan Lifen”)
A graduate of the Central Academy of Drama in Beijing, He Wenchao has starred in several films and television series including HUAYAO BRIDE IN SHANGRI-LA (2005) and MY TEACHING CAREER (2007).