Song of the Phoenix

{{short description|2013 Chinese historical drama film by Wu Tianming}} {{distinguish|Song of Phoenix}}{{Infobox film | name = Song of the Phoenix | image = Song of the Phoenix poster.jpeg | alt = | caption = Poster Illustration: Dong Qiu | native_name = {{Infobox Chinese/Chinese|child=yes|hide=no|header=none | c = 百鸟朝凤}} | director = Wu Tianming | producer =  | writer =  | screenplay = | story = | based_on =  | starring = Tao Zeru | narrator =  | music = | cinematography = | editing = | production_companies = Xi'an Qujiang Dreamgarden Pictures Shanxi Jinghaoze Film&TV Culture Beijing Laolei Pictures Beijing Juhe Yinglian Media Beijing Dongfang Tianming Media Beijing Qitai Yuanyang Media Xi'an Qujiang Film&TV Investment Group<ref name="cbooo">{{cite web |url= http://www.cbooo.cn/m/611464|title= 百鸟朝凤（2016）|accessdate= June 11, 2016|publisher= cbooo.cn|language= Chinese}}</ref> | distributor = Beijing Juhe Yinglian Media<ref name="cbooo"/> | released = {{film date|2013|9|25|Golden Rooster Awards<ref name="douban">{{cite web |url= https://movie.douban.com/subject/10831445/|title= 百鸟朝凤 (2013)|accessdate= May 28, 2016|publisher= douban.com|language= Chinese}}</ref>|2016|5|6|China}} | runtime = 110 minutes<ref name="cbooo"/> | country = China | language = Mandarin | budget = | gross = {{CNY|85.2 million}}<ref name="cbooo"/> }}

'''''Song of the Phoenix''''' is a 2013 Chinese art house drama film directed by Wu Tianming.<ref name="douban"/><ref>{{cite web |url= http://chinafilminsider.com/live-streaming-apps-boom-china-fuel-celebrity-create-new-stars/|title= Live-Streaming Apps Boom in China, Fuel Celebrity, Create New Stars|first= Fergus|last= Ryan|date= May 25, 2016|accessdate= May 28, 2016|work= China Film Insider}}</ref> It was released in China by Beijing Juhe Yinglian Media on May 6, 2016.<ref name="cbooo"/>

==Plot== In a Wushuang village, Shaanxi province, a young boy named You Tianming (Zheng Wei) begins to learn suona with Master Jiao (Tao Zeru). He and a fellow student, Lanyu (Hu Xianxu), dream of playing in Master Jiao's ensemble, which goes on tour throughout the Wushuang villages for wedding and funeral performances.

Master Jiao announces that he will soon retire, and he chooses Tianming as his successor. Jiao teaches Tianming the suona knowledge passed from teacher to student over the centuries. Tianming also learns the "Song of the Phoenix", a celebrated piece of music played only at funerals of the most renowned individuals.

When Tianming grows up (Li Mincheng), he becomes principal of the suona ensemble, but he finds the popularity of traditional Chinese music waning. The respect due to the suona musicians is no longer shown, and he is called to fewer and fewer gigs. To his anger, the use of suona is being replaced with the "modern" instruments of the West.

The company begins to disband as the ensemble's members must face reality and find work elsewhere to make ends meet. Master Jiao urges Tianming to continue the tradition of the suona ensemble, although he himself is compromised by a diagnosis of terminal lung cancer.

An official from the government arrives to ask Tianming to make a recording with his ensemble to preserve the culture of this dying art form. However, the few remaining members of the ensemble are unable to play, as they have sustained injuries from labour in factories. Lanyu suggests that Tianming also abandon life in the village and find work in the city. But Tianming remains devout to his teacher's greatest wish.

Upon Master Jiao's death, Tianming plays the "Song of the Phoenix" at the tombstone, alone.

==Cast== *Tao Zeru<ref name="douban"/> *Li Mincheng<ref name="douban"/> *Ji Bo<ref name="douban"/> *Zheng Wei<ref name="douban"/> *Hu Xianxu<ref name="douban"/> *Chi Peng<ref name="douban"/> *Yuan Zhongfang<ref name="douban"/> *Mo Yang<ref name="douban"/> *Zhang Xiqian<ref name="douban"/> *Tan Qun<ref name="douban"/> *Wang Changling<ref name="douban"/> *Zhou Tianyu<ref name="douban"/> *Zhang Shuangcheng<ref name="douban"/> *Xu Huanshan<ref name="douban"/> *Wang Fang<ref name="douban"/>

==Early difficulties in obtaining screenings== In the first few days following the May 6, 2016 release of ''Song of the Phoenix'', very few showings of the film were scheduled for theaters in China (with more mainstream U.S.-produced films taking precedence), resulting in a poor box office performance. On May 12, producer Fang Li (方励) took the unprecedented step of kowtowing on Weibo, pleading for theater owners across China to increase the number of showings of ''Song of the Phoenix''. After this, the scheduling was improved, and the film's box office performance also greatly improved. On May 26, the film successfully applied for an extension of the validity period of the film's release key to July 6. The final box office total was 86.9 million yuan.

==Reception== The film has grossed {{CNY|85.2 million}} at the Chinese box office.<ref name="cbooo"/> {| class="wikitable" |- ! Award ! Category ! Nominee ! Result ! Ref. |- |rowspan=5|29th Golden Rooster Awards |Best Film |''Song of the Phoenix'' |{{nom}} |rowspan=5| |- |Special Jury Award |Wu Tianming |{{won}} |- |Best Actor |Tao Zeru |{{nom}} |- |Best Supporting Actress |Chi Peng |{{nom}} |- |Best Sound Recording |Wang Changhui |{{nom}} |- |rowspan=3| 34th Hundred Flowers Awards |Best Picture |''Song of the Phoenix'' |{{pending}} | rowspan=3|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://xw.qq.com/amphtml/20180809A19AMG/20180809A19AMG00|title=第34届百花奖候选名单公布章子怡周冬雨争影后|date=August 10, 2018|publisher=Tencent|language=zh}}</ref> |- |Best Actor |Tao Zeru |{{pending}} |- |Best Supporting Actor |Li Mincheng |{{pending}} |- |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{IMDb title|3214392}}

{{Wu Tianming}}[https://www.caperillustration.co.uk/dong-qiu Dong Qiu: Poster Illustrator] Category:2013 drama films Category:2013 films Category:Chinese historical films Category:Chinese musical films Category:Films directed by Wu Tianming