Winning big in Berlin

《地久天长》柏林电影节携双熊归来

It's rare to see a movie take home two leading awards at a famous international film festival.

一部电影，拿下国际知名电影节的两项大奖，实属罕见。

But on Feb 16, Chinese director Wang Xiaoshuai's new movie, So Long, My Son, won two Silver Bear trophies at the 69th Berlin International Film Festival. The lead actors, Yong Mei and Wang Jingchun, won the prizes for Best Actress and Best Actor, respectively.

不过2月16日，中国导演王小帅的新作《地久天长》却做到了：在第69届柏林国际电影节上，主演咏梅和王景春，分别获得最佳女演员和最佳男演员银熊奖。

The film explores an ongoing family tragedy that started in the late 1980s. It begins when a couple loses their only son, Xing Xing, who drowns while playing with his friend, Hao Hao.

电影讲述了发生在上世纪80年代的一出家庭悲剧，一对夫妻的独子星星在和好朋友浩浩玩耍时意外溺亡。

This also made Hao Hao's family feel guilty and ended the friendship between the two families.

浩浩的家庭为此内疚，两家人也断了关系。

Long after grieving, Xing Xing's family quit their factory jobs, move away to a small coastal town in Fujian province. Xing Xing's parents choose to adopt an orphan boy.

经历了很长时间的悲痛后，星星的父母辞去了工厂的工作，搬到了福建沿海的一个小镇，并决定收养一个孤儿。

After decades of estrangement, the families are reunited and can finally release the pain of their experiences.

在经过数十年的隔阂疏远后，两家人终于再次相聚，解开心结。

The movie seems to center on two broken families with an adopted son and a guilty son, but Wang clearly aims for more than sadness and regret.

影片看似聚焦两个破碎的家庭，一个收养的孤儿，一个内疚的男孩。但是王小帅的焦点却远非悲伤与懊悔。

Instead, he focuses on the influences of social and economic policies, including the family planning policy and the market-oriented economy.

相反，他关注的是社会与经济政策产生的影响，比如计划生育和市场经济。

"Wang uses an intricately woven family epic to address universal themes of loss, regret and forgiveness while reflecting on the ever-evolving China", US-based website Awards Daily noted. "His film is a tremendous achievement."

美国网站Awards Daily评论道：“王小帅用复杂的家庭叙事诗，阐述了失落、懊悔和原谅的普世主题，同时也反映了不断发展的中国的样貌。这部电影是一个巨大的成功。”

Though these themes are heavy, the film explores them by focusing on the perspectives of ordinary people.

尽管主题沉重，影片却以普通人的视角娓娓道来。

According to lead actor Wang Jingchun, the movie describes its characters' powerlessness against uncontrollable forces, as well as the great significance that lies in these ordinary characters.

男主角王景春说，影片刻画出角色面对不可控力量时的无力，以及对普通人产生的巨大影响。

"A 'small man' still has his own emotions, attitude and personality," Wang said.

“小老百姓也有他的情感，有他的态度，有他的性格，”王景春说。