Name Ai Qin Lin
Born 1976, Fuiian Provrnce. China Background As continues to be the case wrth many thousands of her people. economic Circumstances forced A: Qin Lin to leave China and her extended family and come to the UK as an
ill \gal immigrant. She borrowed
ST t 5.000 to pay a gang of 'snakeheads' to smuggle her to England. an arduous trip that took almost a year, by air. land and sea yia the Ukraine and the Czech Republic. Once in the UK she tound herself living in squalid conditions With other Chinese people and undertaking hard labour lODS to supply supermarket chains With cheap produce. She worked round the clock but was unable to earn enough money to either support her family back in China or to pay off the people smugglers. Like other migrant "it/orkers. Al Oin i.in was SLlfpl’leX l to find herself trying the life of a slave.
What’s she up to now? She's made a film about the plight of migrant workers in the UK with liliiimaker Nick Broomlield. in which she essentially plays herself. During the course of liliiiing Ghosts she returned to China and was reunited ‘.'.’liil her fari'iily l‘c‘fi’tO also appear in the iiilli). Since then she has been granted reSident status in the UK and lives in Birmingl‘iam .vyith her young son. Ai Qin t in is Currently learning English and thinking about iii/hat next to do With her life which will probably not be more acting). What she says about the film '5 hope that the British government Wlil come to understand that we are contributing to Britain and the economy and that maybe the government Wlii consider giving us the right to work. I’m not sure that a film can change government policy. and l was not Sure at first it the film would have a negative impact. but now l hope it will be positive and change people's minde
Interesting fact the film takes its title from the Chinese slang name mon-pejorativei for westerners 0r foreigners. This goes back to the ChineseJapanese inrar when the Chinese called the invading Japanese ghosts.
ltvliles lielderl
I Ghosts is at (3H. Glasgow and Fi/rii/iouse, Edinburgh from Fri 26 Jan. See rewew, page 38.
42 THE LIST .i' ' .‘r-t. g
Films screening this fortnight are listed below with certificate, star rating, credits, brief review and venue details. Film index compiled by Paul Dale
Amores Perros i lsi O... t:\|c_i;tltdt‘o (ion/alc/ li'ritii. .\lc\ico. liliii) liiiiilio liclicuirria. (iacl (iarcia Bci‘nal. (io)a 'l'olcdo. liiiiiiii. liiarrilu'x dchtit l'catiii'c ix hillcd ax ‘lhc .\ic\icaii l’ul/i l'lr’llrlll‘. a dcxcl‘iplioli \Kltich xcllx ll xliort. ‘l‘hc 'l‘ai'aiilino coiiiparixoii ix a iixcliil xtartiiig point: thc liliii lcllx thrcc mcrlapping xtoricx a tccnagcr drauii into UK “mid Hi iih‘gtil dog- lighting. lttL‘ iiitidclil} (it a lllttidlt‘iitgt‘ti mcdia cxccuih c and an cldci'l) hoiiiclcxx niaii h} tixiiig xliiltiiig linic traiiicx. iangcniiall} linkcd charactci'x and iaggcd \ci‘hal i‘h} thiiix. l’ici'cc hiiiiiaiiit} iiiidci'pinx liiai'i'itu‘x hcauliliil. grain} \ ixualx and (iiiillcriiio .'\l'l'l;lf_';l .loi'daii‘x iiitilli la) ci'cd xcript. (i/rnguii I'll/Ill Iii/It'tlll't'. (i/uwmi. Apocalypto l Isa .000 «Md (iilmin. l'S. Ililloi Younghlood. Dalia llcriiaiidc/. .\ia)ra Scrhtilo. ISSiiiin. .\ Rtllliititxllhc cliaxc nio\ ic pla}cd out in .\1a_\aii laiic} dl'cxx \\ llli illlic I'L‘L‘itlll'xL' to itlxlitl'lt‘ui \dildll}. Young l'aniil} iiiaii .lagiiai‘ l’aa iYoiiiighloodl hccoiiicx a xa\agc on lhc run. thc action hiii'tliiig along around \ iolcnt xcl picccx lo crcalc a ho} 'x on ii lantax} tor tlic .‘lxt ('ciitiii'}. (it until I'(’/('(l\('.
Asterix and the Vikings it'i CO iStct'an i"icldiiiarlx..lcxpcr \lollcr.
l'raiicc/l )cniiiark . littloi \oiccx ot' Scan .'\xllli. .lohn l)i \ltiggio. Brad (iarrctl. "Siiiiii. Scc .-\lxo Rclcaxcd. pagc ~10.
(.HH'H (Jr/(l I’rll'k/lr’tlrl. (r/erJHH .‘ (III/It'll'tll'lll lat/in/nu‘g/i. lat/in/rirrg/i. Babel l lSi GOO liiarritu. l'S/.\1c\ico_ lelloi ('atc Blaiichclt. Brad Pitt. (iacl (iarcia itcrnal. 143mm. Scc l'L‘\ IL'\\. pagc 4”. Stir. lr'i/ I'i'lr’rlu’.
Back to The Future mm 00.0 iRUht'H /.t‘lttL'cixix. ('3. 1935) \iicitttt‘i .l l'o\. l.ca ‘l‘hoiiipxoii. (‘rixpiii (i|o\ci'. llomiii. l)cxci'\.cdl_\ popular tiiiic-li‘awlliiig tantax) ad\cnttirc \\llii xtrcct xiiiai‘t Sllx tcciiagcr \\ill\i\L‘ti hack iii mm for a littlc cliicaiicr} \xith liix t'utiii'c pai'cntx. (ii/uni. lat/i/i/iiir'g/i,
Barnyard d’( it 0. iSit-u- ()cdckci'k. [8. NH”)! \olccx ot lx'c\ lit .lanicx. (‘oiii'tciici ('o\. Saiii titliott. S‘liiiiii. (’oiiipiitcr gcnci'atcd animation lcatui'c cciitcrcd on tlic xiiiglc tiiiliinii} prciiiixc that lai'iii_\ai'd aiiiiiialx do iiiad thingx \xhcn Ito onc ix \iaichiiig. \Vith tlic caxt and \iritci'x iii\o|\cd. lliix xhotild hc liall dcccnt. hut it'x acliiall} \ci'} poor. .\Ioi'c iiianurc toi' iiiiiiol'x. Sr /¢'r lr'i/ I'r /r'rl\r'.
Battlefield Earth I Ill 0. tRogct' (‘hrixtiaiL l’S. Zitlllli .loliii 'l'i'a\olta. Barr} l’cppcr. l-oi'cxt Whitakcr. l lh‘iiiiii. lt‘x 3(th) :\l) i'.;tl'lil ix a \iaxlclaiid. humankind an ciidaiigcrcd xpccicx cnx|a\cd h} a conqucriiig alicii racc. Scicncc liclioii author and xciciitolog} toiiiidci‘ 1. Ron tluhhard'x poxl»apoca|)piic \ ixioii ol llic ttitui'c ix brought to thc xcrccii h) xtai'. pi‘odiiccr and xcicntologixt 'l'i'axolta.
Ht‘l“ L'Clt ()(lx [L‘h'\ lxlitli xilii‘.\x (Slur I'll/ti ttliti Uilx itlttt‘khlhlt‘l'x l/IIr/r'Iti'lli/(Ilr (‘ /)rl\l \ic‘u' xccii it all hclorc. Scc .\'c\\x in iti'icl'. pagc S. (tr/mo. lat/in/iirruli.
:3: Black Booki is) 0000 innit \crhocwii.
.\'clhcilaiidx/ltclgiuiii/l ’KK icrniaii}. 3H1 loi (‘ai'icc \aii llotitcii. Schaxtiaii Koch. 'l'hoiii llotiliiiaii. I-liiiiiii. Scc iiitci'\ ic“. pagc lit and i'c\ ic\\. pag: iS, \iu' lat/iri/tu/g/i ()nirii. lat/ni/vu‘g/i.
Blood Diamond r lSi O. rlztluanl /.\\ick. IlNloi l.coiiai'do l)i('.ipi‘io. l)|inioii Hoiiiixou. .lt‘ltlllii't' (‘onnclly l-liiiiiii. Scc .v\|xo Rctcaxcd. pagc it), (it'rir'rrr/ I'r'lr'tiu: Bobby l ISI .0. liziiiilio iixtcwl.
Illlltii :\lllhttlt\ Hopkiiix. l.aiii'ciicc
Check out the
on paqu3
l.'\|L‘|;llttit‘it (ion/alc/~
I «ii.
Leonard I'm Tribute albums are usually at
best interesting, and at
worst gratingly embarrassing. The filmic equivalent of these homages are usually ten times worse. Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man is such a film, but for the most part (some excruciating live performance sequences aside) Lian Lunson’s film, featuring turns from Bono, Nick Cave, Jarvis Cocker, Rufus Wainwright, Beth Orton and Cohen himself, sidesteps embarrassment with a combination of simplicity and quiet guile. Attributes that Cohen exhibits in spades.
I l'.i/rri/i()t/se. loathing/i from In if) Sun 9 I Jar or;
t'ixhhiii'iic. Sharon Stonc. l loiiiiii. Scc
pi'c\ icix. pagc i" and i'cx IL‘\|.. pagc ih'. (ir'rit'm/ It li'tm'.
#1 Breathless (A Bout de Souffle) il’(ii..... i.lcaii ltic (ioddai‘d. i‘i'dttct‘. l‘)5‘)l .lcaii-l’atil Bcliiioiido. .lcaii Schcig. l)aiiicl Boulaiigci; Ulimin. .\ chic l’arixiaii pclt} ci'iiiiinal illcliiioiidoi and liix .'\lllt'l'lc‘;tli girlti'iciid iSchci‘gi di'itt throain a “illiti ol xtolcit cai'x and aiiiilcxx i'oniancc touardx .iii iiicxoi'ahlc do“ nhcat linalc. (iodard'x dchiit tcatiii'c prmokcd tiiiitc a xtir iii itx da} l'oi‘ itx carctrcc ari'ogaiicc \\ illi thc com ciitionx ol tiliiiic gi'aiiiiiiar. hut loda) it xlandx ax .i caxtial lox c lcttci to thc .'\lthl'lL‘;tlt It lttti\ ic ci'iiiic pictui'c. Part ol thc Introduction to itiii'opcan ('iiiciiia xcaxon. (i/tiiguii li/m Iii/It'tl/I't'. (i/irxgmi .‘ l'r/nr/roim'. lat/iri/iiu‘g/i. Casino Royale l i:.’\l O. I.\i.ii'liii ('aniphcll. l‘S/l ’lx',"('/ccli chiihlic. lelloi l)anic| ('raig. lixa (irccii. .\ladx \likkclxcn. l-l-lniiii. 'l'lic prcqucl to lhc othci' Bond liliiix linic \iarpx hack to thc ciidiiring action hcro hccoiiiiiig a tilt licciixcd to kill. 'l'lic lalcxt Bond i(‘raigi proxcx lo hc a xli'oiig lcadiiig man. but llic liliii ix lci ti(t\\ll It) ll'_\ mg to do too much. \Vllll a \xcak \ illaiii and Bond girl [0 himl. It kilKNll'l It'll”) it'L‘l llht‘ gt “(Niki liliii at all. (ii'iit'm/ I'r'lt'rlu’.
Cheaper by the Dozen 2 mm
C. lx\d;llll Shaiilxiiiaii. l'S. lelt5l Stc\c .\lai'tin. Billtlllt‘ lliint. l’ipci' l’ci'aho. 'l'oiii \Vclliiig. ‘Iiiiiiii. 'l'hc Bakci' laiiiil) .irc hack and lhc} arc going on liolida) hut llic} hadn't cxpcctcd .liiiiiii} \ltiitaugh ilcyxr ttl'id ltlx hlg itl'ood. l’athclic \k‘klllt‘l lit a hcuildci‘iiigl} xticccxxtiil taiiiil} coiiicd}. lamp/Ir (‘lu/r'lirrri/t. (YM/c/Mlll/x.
Deja Vu il’(ii O. I‘I'oii} Scott. l'S. ltllloi l)cii/c| \Vaxhington. \al Kiliiici'. l’aula l’attoii. .laiiicx ('a\ ic/cl. IISiiiin. \\ax|iiiigtoii ix s\il' agciil Doug ('ai'lin.
in\ cxllgaling ci'iiiicx in a poxt Kaliiiia .\c\\ ()I'IL'mh. ‘l‘lii'ougli tlic tixc ol tiiiic tra\ cl idcax iiickcd ti‘oiii li’mk In [I]! Iii/rm and Hip ll’l'lllllltllt’l' hc iiiuxt a\cil dixaxtci hclorc it liappciix. ll )oii can xiixpciid _\oiii hclict'. Hunt in ix taiil} cnio}ahlc. but tlic ci'axx Holl} \xood cndiiig ix appalling.
Xr'lrr It'll I'i'lr rl\r'.
Effi Briest i l 'l O... iRaiiicr \\ciiici liaxxliindcr. (icriiiain. I‘V—li Hanna Scli}gtil|a. \Voll'gaiig Schcnck. l'lli l.oiiiiiicl. IR-liiiiii. l’axxhiiidcrx adaptation
ol 'l‘hcodoi l~oiitaiic'x iiiticli liliiicd no\ cl ix a liliii ol ic}. xltillil_\ing .iiid dixtaiil plcaxiii‘cx, Schigtilla ix xupcrh .ix lhc \\Ultl;lli iiiariicd to an oldci lll.tll. “lit! takcx a |o\ci oiil ot hoi‘cdoiii. \\ itli latal tonxctiiicnccx. Bcatililiill} iiiadc and xliol |lll xlccl} black and \\itllL‘l lliix ix tiiidoiihtcdl) oiic ol l'axxhiiidci'x iiioi'c cliallciigiiig liliiix. lat/iri/iiug/r Ir/nr (I'm/ll. [thrilling/l. Employee of the Month r l_‘.\i
. I(ilt'f.' (.Ut‘lltlgk‘. [-5. Sim“! l).lltt‘ (‘ook .lcxxica Siiiipxoii. I);i\ Shcpai'd lliS’iiiin. /ack lil'dtih'} r(‘ooki docxn’l hclicw iii hard \xoi'k. hut \ihcii iiiiiiorx circiilaic that xc\} caxtiici' .\iii} iSiiiipxoni oiil} datt-x \\ iiiiicix. lic |i.ix to chaiigc hix gaiiic plan (“1hlitlllillidlc.llllllilill}.lildct'lii and hadl} pci'loi'iiicd iioikxpacc tai‘cc ix coi'poiatc garhagc. \\.tl\'|t \tikc .ludgc'x cxccllciil tiiidcii‘alcd I‘N‘l liliii (ll/iii Splat llhlt‘ilti. (It/It Iii'r’ Ir /r ii'H.
Eragon ll’t in O. iSlclcn l'aiigiiicici. [’S. _‘(lll(ii t'dnaid Spclcci'x. Siciiiia (itiilloi‘). (iaiicll llcdliiiid. ltHiiiiii. liaxcd on thc xiicccxxltil iio\ cl h} (‘lii'ixlophci‘ l’aoliiii. /.Ii1‘\'rlli ix tlic talc ot a ho} lSpcllccixi and liix diagoii agaiiixt lhc H il King (ialhatoi'ix i,\ialko\iclii 'lilic xpccial cltcclx arc iiiipicxxn c hilt t‘lih'l'“ ixc lliix ix .i Iaii'I} laiiic opciici loi lliix iiiiitcd lanlax) it’llltclllw‘. Xi /( i It r/ Ir .‘yr riw.
Flags of our Fathers i ISI .00
i('liiil l'axl\\ood. l S. Ittlloi Kym l’hillippc. .lcxxc Bi'adtord. .'\ti.'lllt Hutch. l iliiiiii. itaxtxiood'x .iiiihitiotix cpic i'ccouiilx llic hattlc loi' thc l’acilic ixlaiid ol luo Jam in W“ _‘ li'oiii thc pcixpcctixc ol lhcl S
xci'\ icciiicii \xho plaiitcd lhcii' liag oii thc iiiouiitaiiilop .iiid lhc ciliical iiiinclicld tlic} laccd hack hoiiic llo\\c\ci'. coiiliixcd plotting iiiidci'iiiiiicx lhc cllcci ol both and Ilic latcx ol llic xoldicix .iic ultiiiialcl) gixcn xliort xliiitt. \irt lt/i/i/imigli ()imir. lut/rII/rirrg/i
Flushed Away it t... il)a\ id Hi\\\\'lx, Saiii l‘cll.l ix l'S. .‘(ltloi \oiccx oi Kalc \\ iiixlct. iliigli .ldcklltdli. laii
\lt Kcllcii. .\~liiiiii |)ic.iiii\\oikx .iiid ,\.ii'diii.iii .\iiiiii.ilioii lcaiii up loi llic liixi liiiic tor a xlighl l‘ltl plcaxing coiiicd}. l’aiiipcicd pct nioiixc Rodd} i\oiccd h} .lackiiiaiil tiicx to dixpoxc ol xc\\ci iat Sid iix’ichici. hut hix plaii hacklircx. (if/It Iu/
I’i'lr‘rlu’.