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ICA Films
Posted: September 12th, 2008.
beautifully composed. – The Independent
“…a cinematic poem..consistently fascinating. – Empire
“An elegant, comtemplative and discreetly philosophical memoir. – Time Out
…a biopic of rare subtlety, delicacy and stillness. – Film 4
Winner Golden Goblet, Best Director, 2007, Shanghai International Film Festival
Official Selection New York Film Festival 2006
In Competition Rome Film Festival 2006
Spanning from the 1930s through to the Second World War and into the 1960s, The Go Master is the much heralded newfilm from acclaimed director Tian Zhuanzhuang. Set for DVD release by ICA Films on 6 October 2008, The Go Master is arestrained, thoughtful biopic of Wu Quingyuan, considered by many to be the greatest player ever of the game Go.
Go is a table game requiring intense stamina, energy, emotions, strategy and intellect from its players. Developed inancient China but finding a new home in post-Meiji Japan, Gos adherents treated its rules and regulations in a fashion farstricter and more disciplined than that of its Chinese roots.
Wu Quingyuan was born in China, but moved to Japan at a young age. Rising to prominence as the top Go player in the world,Wu overturned the established traditions and strategies of this ancient game, earning multitudes of fans and enemies along theway. Amidst the fraught relations between Japan and China Japans colonisation of Manchuria and invasion of China in the 1930s,the Pacific War in the 1940s and the Cold War of the 1950s, Wu remained steadfastly in Japan.
The Go Master is, however, more of a story of the complex inner life of Wu than the way in which his life was buffeted bynationalism, militarism and the forces of history. It is the story of the greatest player of the game Go. Now well intohis 90s, he continues to reside in Japan playing Go, writing strategy books and living the life of The Go Master.
About the Director:
Born in 1952, Tian Zhuangzhuang’s father was an actor who became the head of the Beijing Film Studio, while his motherwas an actress who took charge of China’s Children’s Film Studio. Tian spent several years at the Beijing Film Academylearning directing before working in television. He has since gone on to become one of Chinas most acclaimed 5th Generationfilmmakers.
The DVD is released on October 6th 2008, it runs for 102 minutes and retails for £17.99,but is currently on Amazon at the link above for £13.49.
Vote and comment on this DVD: News page content input by Dominic Robinson, 2008.
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.