I Wish I Knew

TRAILER

Commissioned by the Chinese government for the 2010 Shanghai World’s Fair, Jia Zhang-ke’s I Wish I Knew explores Shanghai’s tumultuous twentieth century, weaving individual memories into a melancholic tour of a city in the midst of great change. Recognized over the past decade as one of cinema’s new masters, Jia pursues themes here that resonate with his past work; his symbolic exploration of landscapes and alienated personal histories intertwines with a contemporary culture haunted by a complex political past. I Wish I Knew blends documentary interviews with lush cinematography. Derelict factories are juxtaposed with the new buildings of the World’s Fair, revealing Shanghai’s shifting and paradoxical landscape of beauty and decay.

In I Wish I Knew, eighteen people speak about their experiences of Shanghai from the thirties to the present day. Shanghai’s role as a port city – a gateway to Taiwan and Hong Kong – plays an important role in every story, whether the city was a place of departure or the setting for dramatic political events. The stories told are violent and romantic, historic and trivial. Childhood memories of family members, often those that met tragic ends, mix with tales of a changing culture, particularly a changing film industry. There is a sense of urgency in sharing these intimate stories, as many of the people who speak are aging; the directness and honesty of their recollections risks being lost as more official histories are written.

A rhythmic and poetic soundtrack composed of street noise, water sounds and Lim Giong’s haunting music creates continuity between the interviews and an overarching narrative, whereby Jia regular actor Zhao Tao journeys through the city and expo grounds, showing us a modern Shanghai that appears to be crumbling and developing simultaneously. Zhao’s exploration, paired with the intimate glimpses of Shanghai wrought from personal anecdote, bring to life a city still adjusting to a modern commercial world. (Giovanni Fulvi, Toronto International Film Festival)

Print Source: MK2 Group