BALZAC AND THE LITTLE CHINESE SEAMSTRESS is a French production that was filmed and banned in China. Prohibited for its subject matter concerning the Cultural Revolution, Dai Sijie’s directorial debut (based on his own semi-autobiographical book of the same name) is a story about two best friends from the city, Ma and Luo, who are sent to the Phoenix Mountains for re-education in 1971. There, they meet the titled Little Chinese Seamstress and respectively share their hearts with her as the trio engage themselves in the banned books of their time; the works of Alexander Dumas, Rudyard Kipling, Honore De Balzac, and among others. The literature figuratively takes them far away from their simple surroundings and into a world of exploration, love, and wisdom.

BALZAC opens with Ma’s and Luo’s arrival into the rural mountainside community as the village leader inspects their possessions for unlawful artifacts. As all their earthly belongings are destroyed, the village leader stops on a violin and inquires what it is. Ma and Luo explain and save the violin from burning by playing a Mozart sonata under the titled guise of “Mozart is thinking of Chairman Mao.” This marks the first of many entertaining and amusing times the boys will introduce forbidden literature and music on the unsuspecting Maoist villagers.

The film then embarks on a magical journey of enrichment as Ma and Luo discovers a stash of forbidden books that forever changes their lives. They fall in love with the Little Chinese Seamstress of the next town over and take it upon themselves to teach and educate her, to take her out of her ignorant and sheltered life. Fortunately, Ma and Luo also reach certain epiphanies of their own as best explained by Ma one morning after reading Ursule Mirouet, “I feel the world has changed. The sky, the stars, the sounds, lights, even the smell of pigs… nothing is the same anymore. Ursule Mirouet!” Moments like these make BALZAC all the more special as you revel in their sense of discovery and enlightenment. 

As a first time filmmaker, Dai Sijie has a great understanding for cinematic storytelling. BALZAC moves along blissfully and organically. Every scene pushes the story along and carries a graceful pace, often accompanied by the poetic score. He has also written universal lead characters that do not fall victim to typical Hollywood dynamics. Ma and Luo do not have to be opposites in order to have tension or create an interesting friendship. Their respect for each other is also their conflict. Especially Ma who admires his best friend so much that he lets him have the girl without voicing his feelings. Though, the audience can see that his heart is hurting. Of course, one must not forget that the portrayals of Ma and Luo reside in the effortless acting by Ye Liu and Kun Chen respectively.

BALZAC AND THE LITTLE CHINESE SEAMSTRESS is one of those rare films that invigorates the spirit and touches the soul. Director Dai Sijie takes us on an adventure in literature and brings along as his companions, romance and friendship. It is this party that shows us the majesty of life, that no matter how limited or how small our world may be sometimes, we can always expand our borders with imagination and simple pleasures as holding hands with your best friends underneath a tree.