‘Balzac’ a hidden treasure from the Far East

John Depko

One of the joys of having a film festival is the opportunity to

discover cinematic gems that we might never see in major

distribution.

“Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress” is one of those

remarkable hidden treasures. Reminiscent of the quality of “The Joy

Luck Club,” this Chinese-French collaboration sparkles with

intelligence, wit, satire, drama and the tensions of a surreptitious

romance in a dangerous setting.

The story follows three young people as their lives are turned

upside down by China’s Cultural Revolution of the 1970s. Two are

young men well educated in art, music, history and literature. This

bourgeois background lands them in a remote rural village for

communist re-education. Brutal work in a copper mine fills their

days. The night brings group encounters with the villagers who

closely examine every aspect of their lives and thinking. Their

books, clock, violin and other urban possessions, which instantly get

the unwanted attention of the local party boss, amaze the illiterate

peasants.

The men quickly realize the only way they can retain their sanity

and precious bits of civilization is to convince the peasants that

these trappings of the western world exist only for the greater glory

of Chairman Mao. Incongruous laughs follow, as they must pepper all

their actions and conversations with the cliches of Mao’s Little Red

Book. Once the beautiful and strong-willed daughter of a local tailor

enters the picture, sex and romance are added to the already complex

mix of culture, politics and personal change.

This fast-paced story moves rapidly from scene to scene while

retaining a sensitive and courageous stance on the many aspects of

life it covers. The outstanding acting makes us truly care about the

fate of the characters on screen. A well-made, sophisticated and

rewarding film to see.

The movie is in Chinese with English subtitles. “Seamstress”

screens at Edwards Island Cinemas, theater No. 3, at 10:45 a.m.

today, and 11 a.m. Monday.

* JOHN DEPKO is a Costa Mesa resident and a senior investigator

for the Orange County public defender’s office.