The Performance in How Yukong Moved the Mountains (1976): A Study Based on Filming-Related Documents Discovered in the Shanghai Archives

Abstract

This study analyzes three films featuring Shanghai within Joris Ivens and Marceline Loridan’s film series How Yukong Moved the Mountains (1976). It conducts a textual analysis based on filming-related documents, which include transcriptions of on-set audio recordings and reports on detailed filming activities and schedules, all of which are preserved within the Shanghai Archives. Through this analysis, the study uncovers the presence of performances in How Yukong Moved the Mountains, a collection hitherto categorized as documentary films. The primary objective is to bridge the apparent gap between the ostensibly objective documentary genre and the inherent performative elements that underlie the portrayal of events. Moreover, this research attempts to establish a nuanced understanding of the intricate interplay between these performances and the socio-political context of the time.

The study begins by examining documentary records to conduct a detailed analysis of specific scenes and the connections between various shots. The repetition of identical conversations in the audio recording transcripts serves as compelling evidence of deliberate staging and performance during the filming process. Additionally, it scrutinizes the phenomenon of self-presentation driven by self-awareness within the framework of state ideology, which constitutes the fundamental basis for the orchestrated performances captured on camera. Lastly, this paper examines the intricate relationship between the significant elements of performance within the documentary and the nuanced comprehension and depiction of ‘truth’ found within the distinctive social context of the Cultural Revolution.