Ding Jiali Movies
- 2003
A beloved -- but unlicensed -- family pet is confiscated by Beijing authorities, leaving its owners scrambling as they attempt to recover the critter before it is set free outside the city limits in director Lu Xuechang's 2003 comedy drama Kala shi tiao gou (Cala, My Dog). Working class patriarch Lao Er (Ge You) is left with a large licensing fee as well as a fine after his wife mistakenly walks their unlicensed family dog Cala. The dog is taken away by the police, leaving the family with a deadline of 18 hours to pay the bill before the dog is cast out of town. As the family income cannot support such an exorbitant sum of money, they resort to other means in order to retrieve the canine -- ranging from attempting to coerce family members with connections into aiding them to convincing a neighbor to pulling a scam on the police with the license for Cala's mother. Cala, My Dog had its first official screening as part of the Forum program for the 2003 Berlin International Film Festival. ~ Ryan Shriver, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ge You, Ding Jiali, (more)
- 1996
This is the final entry in Chinese filmmaker Huang Jian Xin's trilogy of social satires. Like its predecessors Stand Up, Don't Bend Over (1993) and Back to Back, Face to Face (1994), Signal Left, Turn Right offers a gentle (at least, enough to keep the censors at bay) but razor-sharp look at the foibles of those who comprise contemporary Chinese society. The story is set at a Chinese driving school and follows five disparate students and their stern teacher on the road to owning a coveted driver's license. There are few such schools in China and those that do exist are generally run by the military. This school, with "Developing Skilled Drivers for the Nation" as its motto is owned by Li, an army officer and run by staunch Party member Hou, who also works as the school's sole teacher. His class is comprised is the capitalistic and newly wealthy Chai; pretty Cheng Fen, who wants to drive a taxi; long-haired and rebellious and drug addicted young man Mung Bean and finally the class latecomer Yang Wei, an arrogant intellectual from Beijing University. All of the characters and the ways in which they deal with their lessons are deliberately designed (but not unrealistic) stereotypes who represent different factions of contemporary Chinese society. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1994
Mixed up relationships are the focus of this Chinese comedy that examines the difficult relationship between a married couple. Many of their troubles stem from their frustrated careers. Li, is a brilliant engineer who cannot find work and so becomes a guard in the forbidden city. His wife Xiao, a classical flautist, is having trouble finding work in a world addicted to pop music. Their frustration is soon expressed as resentment and the couple files for divorce. Unfortunately, they cannot separate as their is a housing shortage in Beijing and they cannot find different apartments. They begin to devise ploys to irritate one another. First Li brings home a rube from the country who does not want to live with her in-laws. Xiao retaliates by being the perfect hostess to the little red-neck. Then she goes out and encourages her former school chum who has a crush on her. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gai Xiaoling, Xie Yuan, (more)
