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Our Lovely Ms Parker goes to aGLIFF and gets a taste of Bejing's Outlawed FISH AND ELEPHANT

Father Geek here with our little Dottie's second report from the Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival. Seems Harry's not the only one with a Bejing connection on the site today...

Dorothy Parker here! I'm back again with more news and notes from the aGLIFF festival.

First up is a feature length film that has the mysterious honor of having been smuggled out of its home country: FISH AND ELEPHANT - (2001) Dir. Li Yu Shot in Bejing and based on a true story, Fish and Elephant tells the story of Xiao Qun, an elephant keeper who falls in love with Xiao Ling, a tailor in a small clothing shop whose hobby is keeping pet fish. The new couple might have a quiet anonymous relationship together but for the entrance of Qun's mother who wants to orchestrate blind dates for her daughter, and Jun Jun, and ex-lover of Qun's hiding from the cops.

From a western perspective, it is difficult to not feel like the subjects in Fish and Elephant have already been covered in many other films produced in countries where attitudes are more tolerant, but in many many ways, this simple film runs stylistic circles around its counterparts. Li Yu utilizes long takes in a way that centers the focus on characters and atmosphere--it feels similar to Jarmusch but without the pretension. There is little wasted dialog or small talk among the main characters. Their personalities remain strong and direct through their brevity, while those around them who chatter and repeat themselves reveal their fears and prejudices.

A great deal of focus is places on the face that this couple lives in a world where there is no word for lesbian or homosexual. In scenes of coming out, they use the phrase: I like women. This is a double edged sword. In a way, it offers such a simple explaination to who they are and why they have not married men, that Mom or whoever else seems dense or stubborn in their refusal to comprehend. But on the other side, the lack of a word for being gay eliminates the womens ability to find communion and solidifies their sense of isolation.

Fish and Elephant is a remarkable and facinating movie. The few technical difficulties I saw with the film chiefly came from the translation of the subtitles--chiefly due to the fact it arrived at aGLIFF as a bootleg and not a fault of the film itself. Currently there is no concrete word on whether this will be distributed here or released on video, but it is definately one to watch for.

Dorothy Parker

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