The Chinese Botanist's Daughters

Infobox Film
name = The Chinese Botanist's Daughters


image_size =
caption = French-language film poster
director = Dai Sijie
producer = Lise Fayolles
writer = Dai Sijie
Nadine Perront
starring = Mylène Jampanoï
Li Xiaoran
music = Eric Levi
cinematography = Guy Dufaux
editing = Dominique Fortin
distributor = France:
Europa Corp.
released = France:
April 26, 2006
runtime = 105 min.
language = Mandarin
budget =
country = France/Canada
website =
amg_id = 1:342546
imdb_id = 0425985

"Les filles du botaniste" (Chinese: 植物园, "Botanic Garden") is a French and Canadian film, with the background set as in China. It was released in 2006. Its English title is "The Chinese Botanist's Daughters".

Plot summary

Set in China in the 1980s or 1990s, the film tells the story of, Li Ming, a young orphan of Tangshan earthquake, who leaves to study at the home of a renowned botanist. A secretive man and commanding father, he lives on an island that he has transformed into a luxurious garden. Anxious to share this solitary life, his daughter, An, welcomes with joy the arrival of the female student. Soon their friendship develops into a sensual, but forbidden attraction. Incapable of separating themselves, Ming and An create a dangerous arrangement to be able to continue spending their lives together: Ming marries An's brother, who is a PLA soldier and cannot bring his wife with him. However, An and Ming's relationship is observed by the botanist who thus gets a heart attack. Before he dies, he tells police that it's his daughter and daughter-in-law's homosexuality "disease" that kills him. Thus, An and Ming are sentenced to death by a court and executed.

Casting

* Mylène Jampanoï — Li Ming
* Li Xiaoran — An
* Dongfu Lin — Botanist

Production details

*Year: 2005
*Date of release: 2006
*Languages: Chinese
*Filmed in Vietnam
*Company: Europa

Controversies

Due to the sensibility of the homosexuality subject, this movie was not allowed to be shot in China. It was shot in Vietnam instead (mainly in Ba Vi and Ha Tay) to create a similar environment. The film is full of stereotype oriental images, like firecracker and juggling performance along a foggy river, instead of in the middle of a village.

Mylène Jampanoï was criticized as "could not perform".

The death sentence of Ming and An was considered impossible, since although homosexuality has been discriminated against in China, people are not executed for it. The judge's verdict reasoning "Due to their behavior, our country lost an excellent botanist, thus they must be punished" is regarded as totally ridiculous. [ [http://blog.mop.com/chryz/2007/03/27/3634862.html 《植物园》：对女同穷凶极恶的意淫之后；瑰丽如歌] ]

Awards and nominations

Montréal World Film Festival:
*Best Artistic Contribution (Guy Dufaux, won)
*People's Choice Award (Sijie Dai, won)
*Grand Prix des Amériques (Sijie Dai, nominated)

Toronto Inside Out Lesbian and Gay Film and Video Festival:
*Best Canadian Film or Video (Sijie Dai, won)

References

External links

* [http://www.lesfillesdubotaniste.com/ Official site in French]
* [http://www.astaire.co.jp/shokubutsu/ Official Site] Japanese
* [http://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm.html?cfilm=47754 Release information]
*imdb title | id=0425985 | title=Les Filles Du Botaniste
* [http://www.tokyowrestling.com/articles_eg/2007/12/1_losing_the_right_to_love.html The Chinese Botanist's Daughters Interview with Dai Sijie ] in Tokyo Wrestling