Qiu Jiongjiong’s 'Fuxi' Serves Handcrafted Myth on a Soundstage — SkimNews
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- Qiu Jiongjiong writes, directs, and edits 'Fuxi: Four Tales of Feasting,' a new anthology film built on handcrafted studio sets and theatrical effects, following his Locarno-winning debut 'A New Old Play'.
- Lee Kang-sheng stars in multiple roles across the film’s four segments, including a tail-cutting elder in 'The Ancestors’ Fuxi' and a 1997-era spirit guide, continuing his collaboration with Tsai Ming-liang as a cinematic muse.
- Fuxi is structured as a four-part anthology centered on food rituals, moving from prehistoric tail soup to Sichuan legend, Song dynasty poetry, and early 20th-century congee, each segment layered with myth and memory.
- Sol and Luna, celestial observers in sun and moon headpieces, frame the narrative with interstitial scenes tinted like silent films, blurring the boundaries between story, production, and cosmic time.
- Qiu Jiongjiong acts as his own production designer, crafting tactile, analog sets with painted backdrops and practical effects, positioning the film as a deliberate counterpoint to digital and AI-generated imagery.
Why it matters: For arthouse audiences and festival programmers, 'Fuxi' represents a rare commitment to physical craftsmanship in filmmaking, where every prop and backdrop is a handmade statement against the rise of generative AI and digital shortcuts in visual storytelling.
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