A Yunnan Lake, Three Generations, and the Director in Between

The Inspiration Behind the Film

Bian Zhuo's film 'As the Water Flows' was inspired by his late grandfather's diary, which he read after his grandfather's passing. The diary entries, written in elegant cursive script, were addressed to his grandfather's wife, who had passed away earlier. Bian was struck by the love and longing expressed in the diary entries and decided to make a film about the love and tensions between the generations of a family similar to his own.

The film's Chinese title, 'Cui Hu,' meaning 'Green Lake,' refers to the iconic lake in the heart of downtown Kunming, often described as the city's eye. Bian grew up on the shores of this lake, and it holds a special significance for him. The film follows an elderly grandfather who, after losing his wife, seeks companionship again, only to face resistance from his three daughters.

The Character of the Grandfather

Bian's grandfather was an old-school intellectual, very quiet, and never quite seemed happy. However, he was apparently quite popular with women when he was young. Bian got to know his grandfather again during his graduate studies in the U.S., when he did an oral history project about him. The person in front of the camera was nothing like the man Bian remembered. He was eager to talk and could recount things from decades earlier in vivid detail.

The character of the grandfather in the film is based on Bian's own grandfather. Bian gave the grandpa in the film almost the same characteristics, including the pride of an intellectual and the sensitivity and temper that often come with it. The room in the film is a faithful recreation of Bian's grandparents' room at their house, which was a big part of Bian's childhood.

The Unspoken Love in Chinese Families

The film explores the 'unspoken love' between the families, which is a defining trait of Chinese families. Chinese families do not express love directly, unlike many Western families. Instead, love is demonstrated through action, but sometimes that action crosses a line and turns from eagerness to control. The film shows how this unspoken love can lead to complex emotions and tensions between family members.

The eldest sister in the film, for example, genuinely loves her daughter and worries about her. However, she doesn't know how to express her love and instead tries to control her daughter's life. The daughter, on the other hand, keeps her feelings inside and processes them on her own, leading to a deep-seated resentment towards her mother.

The film highlights the challenges of expressing love and emotions in a cultural context where direct expression is not common. It shows how this can lead to misunderstandings and tensions between family members, but also how it can be a source of deep love and connection.