Rough Poetry (下流诗歌)

A policeman locks himself and an mélange of willing characters into an iron cage situated in a dim and cavernous warehouse. Conversations haltingly unfold among the characters, until finally the policeman decides to open up and share his dog-eared book of personal poetry with his fellow inmates.

[Rough Poetry will make its world premiere at this year's Vancouver International Film Festival in October. Please stay tuned for details.]

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT:
When people become immersed in the fabric of this story, I believe they will begin to grapple with it. What does it mean, what the characters have just said? Why do they behave the way they do? The characters stand before you, demanding your time and meeting you face to face. And behind each face is a richness of possible story lines.

The poetry is rough, and so are the conversations.

But even as physical space is confined and limited by the bars of the cage, the rough words of the prisoners open up a new and surprising space.

CREW:
Director: Zhao Dayong
Producer: David L. Bandurski
Executive Producer: Zhu Rikun
Camera: Zhao Dayong, Li Qing
Production Manager: Chen Gang
Art Direction: Li Qing
Editing: Zhao Dayong
Directorial Assistant: Bi De (Peter)
Lighting: Kuang Jun
Sound Editing: Zhu Fangqiong
Stage Props: Zhang Ming
Still Photography: Kuang Jun

PRINCIPAL PLAYERS:
Policeman: Shen Shaoqiu
Old man: Uncle Wu
Young woman: Xiao Wang
Young man: Li Xu
Prostitute: Xiao Fang
Huang Mao: Ah Jun
The Boss: Zhang Xingguo

English Title: Rough Poetry
Original Title: 下流诗歌
Production Date: 2008
Running Time: 50 minutes
Format: HDV
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Genre: Feature Film
Produced By: Lantern Films China Company Limited (Hong Kong)