273:. It was immediately taken down by the police and the works confiscated. Continuing the struggle for free artistic expression, the Stars and democracy activists held a protest rally at Democracy Wall on National Day, the annual October 1 celebration of the founding of the PRC. After the speeches, the gathered crowd marched to the Municipal Building with thousands of ordinary people joining along the way. The artists and activists feared long prison sentences or death.
248:) on the Democracy Wall, expressing grievances suffered during the Cultural Revolution (1966 – 1976) and demanding reparations for deaths, torture and arbitrary imprisonment of family members. Artists and essayists also began to post unofficial art works and writings on the wall from underground magazines that bucked official propaganda, criticized the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and called for democracy.
255:. At Democracy Wall, the artists pushed the limits of free speech by posting prohibited art forms such as abstraction and nudity, photos and poetry depicting everyday life, as well as sculpture critical of the CCP. Meanwhile, overt calls for democracy were penned and posted by activists Wei Jingsheng of
328:
Themes of women's rights are explored through the art and eyes of activists and artists. Stars artist Li Shuang spent two years in jail for dating a foreigner, French diplomat
Emmanuel Bellefroid, to whom she was eventually married in Paris after her release with the help of the French government.
276:
Provoked and incensed, Deng cracked down on the
Democracy Wall movement and Stars art group in 1980, closing the wall and issuing arrests, putting an end to the Beijing Spring. The government-sponsored Anti-Spiritual Pollution campaign that followed sought to curtail Western-inspired liberal ideas
306:
is the story of the struggle for freedom of expression. Dozens of art pieces created by the unofficial Stars artists are presented in the film, paying tribute to the courage of the artists/activists of the time who dared break with the restrictive aesthetic mandates laid down by Maoist policy.
289:
shows 16-mm footage of the illegal 1979 Stars art exhibit hung on the iron fence of the
National Museum, as well as modern China's first protest rally and march through the city streets. After being detained by the authorities for illegally filming the illegal protest, Chi Xiaoning tricked the
290:
authorities into believing he destroyed the footage by exposing a blank reel of film. Chi hid the actual footage with friends, which was passed around and hidden underground in
Beijing for four decades until Cohen tracked it down with the help of his Mandarin-speaking cousin.
315:
The film focuses on the
Democracy Wall activists’ and Stars artists’ fight against censorship after Mao's death in 1976. Censorship on the Chinese mainland, and now in Hong Kong, was and continues to be a formidable foe of free speech in the realm of art, writing and
29:
240:'s liberalization efforts in 1978-1979. Along with economic reforms, Deng loosened censorship, allowing western books and ideas into China, and experimented with free speech, allowing citizens to express their thoughts freely in one easily monitored locale: the
369:
The reviews were positive, valuing the film's dramatic storyline and intricate weave of archival footage, photos, art, poetry, music, dance, underground magazines as well as testimony from the
Democracy Wall artists and activists who battled totalitarianism.
220:. Production started in 2010 and finished in 2020. Due to legal and jurisdictional issues surrounding the rights of Chi Xiaoning's never-before-seen archival footage, production was halted for four years until Hong Kong's
320:. The trial of Wei Jingsheng was closed, yet the artists managed to secretly record the hearing and post the transcript on Democracy Wall. The Stars also pushed for the right to peacefully gather and protest.
216:. The film chronicles the struggle for free speech and free artistic expression in the People's Republic of China (PRC) during a brief period of political reform during the late 1970s known as the
156:
445:
277:
from "polluting" China's youth and culture. The
Democracy Wall activists and artists were targeted by the authorities and were subsequently forced into exile abroad.
385:
holds us spellbound, educates us and amazes us by mixing archival footage and testimonies of the artists who raised their voices against censorship in the late 1970s.”
749:
553:
269:
After being refused the right to officially exhibit their avant-garde work in a gallery, the Stars held an illegal exhibition on the fence outside the
928:
848:
505:
933:
337:
The story is told through archival images and audio recordings, art works and recent testimonies from participants of the Stars including
943:
798:
772:
724:
674:
577:
517:
391:“Watching Beijing Spring, the documentary that opens the 39th edition of FIFA in Montreal, one knows the bar has been set high.”
923:
938:
565:
317:
244:, a long brick wall running along Xidan Street near Tiananmen Square. Farmers and workers posted big character posters (
361:
also appear in the film, who between the two of them spent more than 35 years in jail, often in solitary confinement.
378:
270:
209:
45:
469:
431:
Lonely Wolf
Outstanding Achievement in Documentary Editing, Archival Usage & Assembly Award, London—2021
823:
699:
529:
493:
457:
398:, Hannah Brown wrote that the Democracy Wall movement “is the subject of a “fascinating documentary,
872:
617:
251:
The film focuses on a group of artists called the Stars, which grew out of the underground magazine
918:
413:
states, “that chronicles several key events in the transformative history of 20th-century China.”
395:
649:
28:
641:
541:
481:
410:
241:
233:
217:
912:
354:
237:
603:
446:"Two documentaries distill the struggle of political dissent in China decades apart"
374:
brings to light a story that had been censored from China's official history books.
382:
213:
50:
554:""Beijing Spring": Andy Cohen et Gaylen Ross racontent une Chine sans censure"
342:
653:
350:
346:
338:
358:
260:
434:
Austin
International Art Festival Best Feature Documentary, Austin—2021
901:
849:"Heroic artists shine in 'Beijing Spring' at Epos Art Film Festival"
506:"Heroic artists shine in 'Beijing Spring' at Epos Art Film Festival"
470:"Beijing Spring: Documenting the Thaw After the Cultural Revolution"
578:""Beijing Spring", témoignage inédit d'une expérience démocratique"
236:
began with Mao Zedong's death in
September 1976 and peaked with
221:
799:"Beijing Spring : la naissance de l'art dans la censure"
773:"Beijing Spring : la naissance de l'art dans la censure"
725:"Beijing Spring : la naissance de l'art dans la censure"
675:"Beijing Spring : la naissance de l'art dans la censure"
518:"Beijing Spring : la naissance de l'art dans la censure"
353:, Li Shuang and Shao Fei among others. Democracy activists
873:"ArtAsiaPacific: Capital Thaw Beijing Dissidents On Film"
618:"ArtAsiaPacific: Capital Thaw Beijing Dissidents On Film"
425:
Dart Best International Documentary Award, Barcelona—2021
388:
And according to Guylaine Massoutre of Spirale Magazine,
377:
Le Culte's Marius Gellner writes, “This feature film by
428:
Lonely Wolf Best Feature Documentary Award, London—2021
458:"'Beijing Spring' Review: The Politics of Aesthetics"
422:
Jury Prize FIFA/Amnesty International, Montreal—2021
751:💬 LES ENTREVUES DU FIFA : FILM D'OUVERTURE 💬
566:"The Story of Chi Xiaoning and His Smuggled Camera"
184:
176:
166:
138:
124:
104:
96:
76:
59:
38:
21:
208:is a 2021 American documentary film directed by
281:Use of archival footage hidden from authorities
8:
27:
18:
642:"Le film secret du "printemps de Pékin""
542:"Le film secret du "printemps de Pékin""
224:untangled complicated ownership rights.
595:
7:
797:Gellner, Par Marius (2021-03-27).
771:Gellner, Par Marius (2021-03-27).
723:Gellner, Par Marius (2021-03-27).
673:Gellner, Par Marius (2021-03-27).
604:"Beijing Spring · Fondation FIFDH"
14:
929:Documentary films about the arts
853:The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com
700:"专访《北京之春》导演：民主墙、星星美展、首曝光的现场镜头"
494:"专访《北京之春》导演：民主墙、星星美展、首曝光的现场镜头"
1:
934:Documentary films about China
409:is an essential document,”
960:
944:Freedom of speech in China
648:(in French). 2021-03-10.
285:For the first time ever,
26:
271:National Museum of China
530:"Le Printemps de Pékin"
33:Official release poster
924:2021 documentary films
323:
939:Films shot in Beijing
16:2020 documentary film
372: Beijing Spring
534:spiralemagazine.com
318:democracy movements
212:and co-directed by
877:artasiapacific.com
824:"Venus de la nuit"
622:artasiapacific.com
265:April Fifth Forum.
89:Constance Le Marié
201:
200:
951:
905:
904:
902:Official website
887:
886:
884:
883:
869:
863:
862:
860:
859:
845:
839:
838:
836:
835:
828:Magazine Spirale
820:
814:
813:
811:
810:
794:
788:
787:
785:
784:
768:
762:
761:
760:
759:
746:
740:
739:
737:
736:
720:
714:
713:
711:
710:
696:
690:
689:
687:
686:
670:
664:
663:
661:
660:
638:
632:
631:
629:
628:
614:
608:
607:
600:
585:
573:
561:
549:
537:
525:
513:
501:
489:
486:hammertonail.com
482:"BEIJING SPRING"
477:
465:
453:
411:Art Asia Pacific
154:
152:
31:
19:
959:
958:
954:
953:
952:
950:
949:
948:
909:
908:
900:
899:
896:
891:
890:
881:
879:
871:
870:
866:
857:
855:
847:
846:
842:
833:
831:
822:
821:
817:
808:
806:
796:
795:
791:
782:
780:
770:
769:
765:
757:
755:
748:
747:
743:
734:
732:
722:
721:
717:
708:
706:
704:Radio Free Asia
698:
697:
693:
684:
682:
672:
671:
667:
658:
656:
640:
639:
635:
626:
624:
616:
615:
611:
602:
601:
597:
592:
576:
564:
552:
540:
528:
516:
504:
492:
480:
468:
456:
444:
441:
419:
367:
349:, Wang Keping,
335:
326:
313:
301:
296:
283:
230:
197:
169:
162:
150:
148:
147:March 2021
141:
134:
129:
127:
120:
92:
72:
55:
34:
17:
12:
11:
5:
957:
955:
947:
946:
941:
936:
931:
926:
921:
911:
910:
907:
906:
895:
894:External links
892:
889:
888:
864:
840:
815:
789:
763:
741:
715:
691:
665:
633:
609:
594:
593:
591:
588:
587:
586:
574:
562:
550:
538:
526:
514:
502:
490:
478:
466:
454:
440:
437:
436:
435:
432:
429:
426:
423:
418:
415:
407:Beijing Spring
400:Beijing Spring
396:Jerusalem Post
366:
363:
334:
331:
325:
324:Women's rights
322:
312:
309:
304:Beijing Spring
300:
297:
295:
292:
287:Beijing Spring
282:
279:
242:Democracy Wall
234:Beijing Spring
229:
226:
218:Beijing Spring
205:Beijing Spring
199:
198:
196:
195:
192:
188:
186:
182:
181:
178:
174:
173:
170:
167:
164:
163:
161:
160:
144:
142:
139:
136:
135:
132:
130:
125:
122:
121:
119:
118:
115:
114:Damian Lazarus
112:
108:
106:
102:
101:
98:
94:
93:
91:
90:
87:
84:
80:
78:
74:
73:
71:
70:
67:
63:
61:
57:
56:
54:
53:
48:
42:
40:
36:
35:
32:
24:
23:
22:Beijing Spring
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
956:
945:
942:
940:
937:
935:
932:
930:
927:
925:
922:
920:
917:
916:
914:
903:
898:
897:
893:
878:
874:
868:
865:
854:
850:
844:
841:
829:
825:
819:
816:
804:
800:
793:
790:
778:
774:
767:
764:
753:
752:
745:
742:
730:
726:
719:
716:
705:
701:
695:
692:
680:
676:
669:
666:
655:
651:
647:
643:
637:
634:
623:
619:
613:
610:
605:
599:
596:
589:
583:
579:
575:
571:
567:
563:
559:
555:
551:
547:
543:
539:
535:
531:
527:
523:
519:
515:
511:
507:
503:
499:
495:
491:
487:
483:
479:
475:
471:
467:
463:
459:
455:
451:
447:
443:
442:
438:
433:
430:
427:
424:
421:
420:
416:
414:
412:
408:
403:
401:
397:
392:
389:
386:
384:
380:
375:
373:
364:
362:
360:
356:
355:Wei Jingsheng
352:
348:
344:
340:
332:
330:
321:
319:
310:
308:
305:
298:
293:
291:
288:
280:
278:
274:
272:
267:
266:
262:
259:magazine and
258:
254:
249:
247:
243:
239:
238:Deng Xiaoping
235:
227:
225:
223:
219:
215:
211:
207:
206:
193:
190:
189:
187:
183:
180:United States
179:
175:
171:
165:
158:
146:
145:
143:
137:
131:
123:
116:
113:
111:Matt Clifford
110:
109:
107:
103:
99:
95:
88:
85:
82:
81:
79:
75:
68:
65:
64:
62:
58:
52:
49:
47:
44:
43:
41:
37:
30:
25:
20:
880:. Retrieved
876:
867:
856:. Retrieved
852:
843:
832:. Retrieved
827:
818:
807:. Retrieved
802:
792:
781:. Retrieved
776:
766:
756:, retrieved
750:
744:
733:. Retrieved
728:
718:
707:. Retrieved
703:
694:
683:. Retrieved
678:
668:
657:. Retrieved
645:
636:
625:. Retrieved
621:
612:
598:
581:
569:
558:ledevoir.com
557:
545:
533:
521:
509:
497:
485:
473:
461:
449:
406:
404:
399:
393:
390:
387:
376:
371:
368:
336:
327:
314:
303:
302:
286:
284:
275:
268:
264:
257:Explorations
256:
252:
250:
245:
231:
204:
203:
202:
168:Running time
140:Release date
117:Zhou Yunpeng
830:(in French)
805:(in French)
779:(in French)
754:(in Nepali)
731:(in French)
681:(in French)
474:jbspins.com
462:nytimes.com
450:latimes.com
383:Gaylen Ross
299:Free speech
214:Gaylen Ross
172:100 minutes
100:Andrew Ford
86:Gaylen Ross
77:Produced by
69:Gaylen Ross
51:Gaylen Ross
39:Directed by
919:2021 films
913:Categories
882:2021-06-04
858:2021-06-04
834:2021-06-04
809:2021-06-04
783:2021-06-04
758:2021-06-04
735:2021-06-04
709:2021-06-04
685:2021-06-04
659:2021-06-04
627:2021-06-04
590:References
582:heidi.news
546:letemps.ch
522:leculte.ca
379:Andy Cohen
343:Ma Desheng
311:Censorship
294:Key themes
228:Background
210:Andy Cohen
126:Production
83:Andy Cohen
66:Andy Cohen
60:Written by
46:Andy Cohen
654:1423-3967
570:mplus.org
510:jpost.com
365:Reception
351:Qu Leilei
347:Huang Rui
339:Ai Weiwei
222:M+ Museum
185:Languages
97:Edited by
803:Le Culte
777:Le Culte
729:Le Culte
679:Le Culte
646:Le Temps
359:Xu Wenli
261:Xu Wenli
194:Mandarin
133:AC Films
105:Music by
498:rfa.org
394:In the
263:of the
246:dazibao
191:English
177:Country
151:2021-03
149: (
128:company
652:
417:Awards
155: (
439:Press
253:Today
157:FIFDH
650:ISSN
381:and
357:and
333:Cast
232:The
402:.”
915::
875:.
851:.
826:.
801:.
775:.
727:.
702:.
677:.
644:.
620:.
580:.
568:.
556:.
544:.
532:.
520:.
508:.
496:.
484:.
472:.
460:.
448:.
345:,
341:,
885:.
861:.
837:.
812:.
786:.
738:.
712:.
688:.
662:.
630:.
606:.
584:.
572:.
560:.
548:.
536:.
524:.
512:.
500:.
488:.
476:.
464:.
452:.
405:“
159:)
153:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
