Visions du Réel 2020 - Love Poem (情诗/ Qingshi)
Visions du RéelLove Poem, directed by Xiaozhen Wang, is an emotionally dense and expertly crafted intimate drama that follows a thin line between fact and fiction with tremendous results.
Shot in a documentary aesthetic yet executed in a cyclical film narrative, Xiaozhen's feature is as unnervingly close to reality as cinema can get. Following two narratives between couple Qing Zhou and Xiaozhen Wang – before their break-up and following the aftermath of the event – offers a heartbreaking and increasingly emotional arc that showcases the impassioned turmoil of love and partnership.
Moving, albeit constantly unnerving and painful to watch, Xiaozhen Wang and cinematographer Dixuan Wang execute such an emotional response through multiple long takes that absorb every inch of emotional engagement as the audience witness this horrendous break-up occur with deeply saddening consequence. Each narrative shot in long takes with minimal edits slowly but surely enraptures the viewer and engulfs them into the plight of this couple.
That being said, while this technique superbly acts as audience engagement, it can often be difficult for the viewer to escape this hellhole and injury on screen. So much so, it becomes a form of sadism to see develop and not to intervene.
Nevertheless, this intimate manner of filmmaking is elevated and heightened due to the outstanding performance from Qing Zhou, who lays everything imaginable out on screen with a resulting performance that is nothing short of phenomenal. The skill of Qing Zhou showcased in all its tremendous ability by perfectly remaining in character and delivering multiple monologues. However, it is the physical embodiment of this emotional rollercoaster that is the most compelling aspect to the actresses performance. It simply does not falter for the entire running time and for such a dense and compact emotional character that is an utterly breathtaking stunt to see develop.
