Winners of the 55th Houston International Film Festival were announced days ago. A Zebra-Riding Boy, directed by Fan Xiaotian and Chen Juzhi, and written by Fan Xiaotian and Jiao Huan, won the Special Jury Award, the event’s top prize.
The movie was adapted from two short stories authored by Su Tong, a celebrated Chinese writer born in Suzhou. The story is about Zuo Lin, a poor bow-legged boy, who has a small dream of riding a zebra across bustling city. Zuo Lin’s growing up from a sad rocking-horse rider, to a happy zebra-rider, to a pathetic hussar officer, then to a beaming paper horse rider makes for an absorbing film with a grand narrative. The rich kid Zheng wants to defeat Zuo Lin to win his friendship. Qing Qing wants to help her boyfriend trick Zuo Lin, but ends up falling in love with him.
Fan Xiaotian, director and screenwriter of the movie, comes from Suzhou and incorporates his impression of Suzhou people into the making of the movie, for instance, Zuo Lin’s house is the same one that Fan has lived in his childhood — No. 6 Tongdeli Lane. Audiences can find many cultural and architectural elements unique to Suzhou, such as the Wu dialect, Kunqu Opera, and Gate of the Orient.
The movie has won multiple prizes before, including best screenplay (13th Macau International Movie Festival) and golden angel award (16th Chinese American Film Festival). In addition, A Zebra-Riding Boy has been nominated for five awards at Nice International Film Festival and final winners will be announced in May.
“Suzhou is an infinite source of inspiration for my creation. I wish to communicate the charm and beauty of Suzhou to the world,” said Fan Xiaotian.