After Fugui and Jiazhen lose their personal fortunes, they raise a family and survive difficult cultural changes during 1940s to 1970s China.After Fugui and Jiazhen lose their personal fortunes, they raise a family and survive difficult cultural changes during 1940s to 1970s China.After Fugui and Jiazhen lose their personal fortunes, they raise a family and survive difficult cultural changes during 1940s to 1970s China.
- Won 1 BAFTA Award
- 5 wins & 6 nominations total
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaInitially, Director Zhang Yimou was forbidden from filmmaking for 5 years by the Chinese Communist Party as a result of making this film. However, due to outside pressure this was later withdrawn.
- Quotes
Little Bun: [playing with chickens] When will they grow up?
Xu Jiazhen: Very soon.
Little Bun: And then?
Xu Fugui: And then... the chickens will turn into geese... and the geese will turn into sheep... and the sheep will turn into oxen.
Little Bun: And after the oxen?
Xu Fugui: After oxen...
Xu Jiazhen: After oxen, Little Bun will grow up.
Little Bun: I want to ride on an ox's back.
Xu Jiazhen: You will ride on an ox's back.
Xu Fugui: Little Bun won't ride on an ox... he'll ride trains and planes... and life will get better and better.
It is easy to dismiss this movie as a "Sad period piece," but with another look, one sees that this is a story about triumph... of taking heart in the fact that one lives. The title, "To Live," is very apt, as we see the rises and falls of one small family living through the ups and downs of China during the pre-revolutionary era, the civil war, the Great Leap Forward, the Proletariat Cultural Revolution, and beyond.
This movie is at turns dramatic, humorous, touching, chilling, heart-wrenching, and triumphant. A true roller coaster of emotions, played out in the subtle tones only Chinese film can truly capture.
- jedmalkavian
- Mar 30, 2006
- How long is To Live?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $2,332,728
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $32,900
- Nov 20, 1994
- Gross worldwide
- $2,332,728
- Runtime2 hours 13 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1