Zhang Yuan: ‘This is a film that attempts to mix reality, fantasy, imagination and reminiscence. All together it’s a filmthat breaks all the rules.’ Beijing Bastards has been called the first ‘independent’ Chinese film. With financial support from e.g. the Rotterdam Film Festival (where a non-subtitled copy of the rough cut was screened in 1993), Zhang made a feature film about the youth culture in Peking, a disillusioned generation. The film revolves around Cui Jian, a kind of Chinese Bruce Springsteen, who also helped write the film and partly produced it. When the Locarno Film Festival decided to include the film as part of its main competition in 1993, the Chinese authorities withdrew their national contribution as a counter-measure.Several friends and acquaintances of a woman set out to look for her after she attempted suicide for completely incomprehensible reasons. During their quest, the viewer is a witness to the different cultures in the city. A real rock ‘n roll star (Cui Jian) tries to organise a concert and is thwarted by the authorities. The film also follows a group of young artists who perform on the street.The Chinese title is a term of abuse and means something like ‘the marginals’ or ‘the gang’, according to Zhang. The term belongs to the idiom of the suppressed culture and just by choosing this title, Zhang broke with traditional and dominant culture.
