The Flower of Northeast China (2016)

Northeast China's 'Er Ren Zhuan' is a folk art that emerged and matured through three hundred years of spirited and continuous development in the fertile lands of Northeast China. In Er Ren Zhuan, one male and one female performer play out stories inspired by the lives of the common people. They sing with joy and sorrow, of the countless ups and downs encountered in the human experience. Director Austin Kvaale follows the footsteps of the famous artist Dong Lianhai, who is among the 'four great male performers' or Er Ren Zhuan. This production documents the unique charms of this traditional art. In the modern world of material desires and temptations where commercialism and materialism have defined our surroundings, the preservation and transmission of traditional Er Ren Zhuan appears hopelessly difficult. However, the performers young and old attempt to uphold the traditions, refuse to vulgarize them. They bring performances to the countryside, enriching and reinforcing the foundations of this art. Generation after generation of artists have used the purest methods to resist the intrusion of various kinds of unrefined culture. They exert all their efforts in preserving this art-form, which is known as the 'flower' of Northeast China.