Finding Shangri-La
Zhu Zhiying, Matt Wu Zhong-tian
Director: Ismene Ting
Ismene Ting and Stan Lai Sheng-chuan, two pillars of the Taiwanese stage, attempt to fuse the theatrical and cinematic in relating a grieving woman's spiritual journey that takes her from Taipei to Shangri-La. Though intellectually challenging and visually pleasing, the movie doesn't deliver the emotional wallop clearly intended by first-time writer-director Ting and producer Lai, both making a rare foray into motion pictures.
Zhu Zhiying (who had a supporting role in Lust, Caution) brings depth and feeling to the role of Ji-ling, a young woman consumed by the death of her five-year-old son. Ji-ling's discovery of the boy's self-drawn clues for a 'treasure hunt' leads her to the snow-capped Tibetan region of Yunnan popularly known as Shangri-La, where her existence takes on something of a fairy-tale quality. A seemingly chance encounter with a handsome Taiwanese tourist (Matt Wu) is the catalyst to Ji-ling's understanding the meaning of the treasure hunt, and being able to forgive those she blames for the tragedy, including herself, and face life anew.
The events are recounted via a mixture of flashbacks, straight-forward narrative, and incidents that might or might not be dreams.