Movie Review On Balzac And The Little Chinese Seamstress

“Balzac and Little Chinese Seamstress” is a movie written and directed by Dai Sijjie. The movie was released in the year 2002 and depicts the time of early 70s when Chinese cultural revolution was at it later stage. The story of this movie revolves around two boys named Luo Min and Ma Jianling, who went to Sichuan province to get re-education. After their arrival they were asked about their education by the chief of the village. The chief checked the luggage of both boys and destroyed a cookery book. The chief was also about to destroy Ma’s violin but stopped Luo. Both boys provided a house to stay and asked to join local labors immediately.
Both of the boys fell in love with a common girl named Seamstress, who came from nearby village to listen to Ma’s violin. The girl was illiterate but wanted to learn and acquire knowledge. Both boys helped her to educate and read various books for her. Balzac was most favorite book of Seamstress. Later the girl also fell in love with Luo and got pregnant. The girl confesses about her pregnancy to Ma when Luo went to visit his sick father for two months. Ma helped her in getting gynecologist and get secret abortion done. in China, a girl’s marriage before 25 and abortion when girl is unmarried. All three separately left village in search of freedom: Luo became a professor in Shanghai and Ma became a violinist in France. Ma later came to village to search Seamstress after watching the news about flood in village but failed to find her.