Nothing signals tenacity more than a filmmaker doing whatever possible to get their film made. This is applicable to Fei Mu, whose film Spring in a Small Town (Chinese: 小城之春) was a labour of love in every definition of the term. Not being given much resources on which to construct this film, and seemingly being set up to fail, the director took matters into his own hands and managed to string together a small cast to tell a story of a closely-knit family in post-revolution China as they adapt to the challenges of everyday life, while questioning more abstract concepts, such as those of love and desire in a culture that didn’t often embrace them. Not only did this effort result in a film that was extremely successful, it has come to be seen as a definitive work of early Chinese cinema, an entry into the formative years of Sinophone storytelling that has not only been embraced as a classic within its home country, but touted as one of the greatest to ever hail from a nation that has consistently proven to be endlessly gifted when it comes to telling memorable stories. There is a certain quality about Spring in a Small Town that keeps the viewer engaged, whether it be the peculiar tone that seems both grounded in reality, and quietly ethereal, or the fact that it gives us unfettered insights into the life and times of a group of ordinary citizens making their way through the world while facing various existential quandaries, this film is an absolute triumph, a bold and unwaveringly complex film about life and its many challenges, as told by a masterful storyteller that may not be well-remembered as a whole outside of his native country, but has established a strong legacy with this delightful and complex human drama.

Simplicity is the key to success in the majority of cases, especially in films produced under more stringent circumstances. Fei wasn’t afforded many discernible resources, so whether or not he managed to make the film he intended to make remains to be seen – but what is certainly undeniable that the film we received is still a riveting and complex glimpse into Chinese society at a particular moment in time. As a culture that is inherently contradictory in how it both adheres to the most strict traditions, but pushes the boundaries when it comes to innovating the way individuals lead their lives, being able to witness a film as raw and unfiltered as Spring in a Small Town feels like a privilege. It’s not often we see a film produced with the intention of giving viewers a chance to see life as it was at a particular moment, let alone one that actually adheres to it from beginning to end. Spring in a Small Town feels like a strong forerunner to the neo-realist movement, with the minimalistic production and intimate story lending itself to the idea of authenticity more than anything else, which helps considering the story is less of a coherent stream of events, and more an atmospheric journey into a few days in the lives of these individuals, who are not all that exceptional outside of their personal quandaries, which the director explores in a way that gives us clear insights into who they are as people (in much the same way that he provides a cursory analysis of the culture in general at this particular point in history), but also hints at deeper meanings that are left to the viewer to interpret, which makes for an engaging and uniquely captivating psychological drama.

It often feels as if the director simply found a location and asked his actors to interpret the script (written by Li Tianji, a gifted artist in his own right), with the general intention being to capture the most intimate moments and translating that to film in a way that feels functional and interesting. Part of this comes on behalf of the actors, who are aware of the challenge presented to them, but seem more than willing to face them directly. Wei Wei, a legendary actress who has grown to be one of the most cherished performers in the history of Chinese film (and continues to be a presence in the contemporary culture, celebrating the extraordinary milestone of her 100th birthday this year), commands the film as the conflicted protagonist, a woman who isn’t sure which of the two men in her life she truly loves, and is driven to the point of near-insanity. The benefit of working with such a small cast is that the writer can add an abundance of detail, with each of the five characters in Spring in a Small Town being well-composed along very clear narrative conventions. Wei Wei is enigmatic, Yu Shi is aloof and Li Wei is charismatic, while the young Zhang Hongmei is playful and the elderly Cui Chaoming is much more stern. These traits ultimately create a film that is deeply fascinating, since each individual carries with them a sense of complexity, rather than just existing in the film as thinly-written characters. Considering the more paltry resources that were utilized in the creation of this film, it is impressive the extent to which they were able to bring out these stunning performances, which is a testament to both the director and his effortlessly gifted ensemble.

In hindsight, one has to wonder whether (had they known what it was set to become) whether those tasked with funding Spring in a Small Town would have treated it as more of a work of art, rather than merely a small and inconsequential drama. It has regularly been cited as the greatest Chinese film ever made, and has enjoyed a steadily growing reputation that has made it a regular subject of conversation. There’s a deep gravitas that commands the film and makes it such an enigmatic work of socially-charged art, and it never has to even change its register to make an impact, staying at a consistently calm and endearing tone. The combination of this very straightforward method of execution with a story that seem simple on the surface, but actually hints at something much deeper only makes us even more curious about the world in which Spring in a Small Town exists, since there is something enchanting about the surroundings, a form of constructive detachment that situates us within the lives of these ordinary people as they work through a range of personal challenges while attempting to maintain a level of sanity. Beautifully made and constructed with the earnestness of a director who truly knew what he was aiming to say when working with this material, Spring in a Small Town is an absolute masterwork, an endearing and frequently heartfelt ode to the human condition, and one that makes excellent use of the small details in the construction of the larger and more coherent whole.