Back in 1990, Zhang Yuan's Mama gained notoriety making the claim as China's first independent film. After that fuzzy period, it's no longer necessary to say who's first and who's second. So, if you are looking for a path to the new Chinese cinema, Xiao Wu is the best entry. What's good about Xiao Wu is that it doesn't exploit emotions. It does not portray emotions as the means for the future of life and country, it does not portray emotions as the source of pain.
Love never has any roots, and it never bears any fruit.
Those who live in the underbelly of society can be strong metaphors, and precisely because such an identity is not emphasized, we have an opportunity to transcend the myths of love. In Xiao Wu , we can see that new Chinese directors are no longer looking in the past for inspiration. Neither are they limiting themselves to telling stories within traditional dramatic constraints. Instead, they turn to reality to look for stories that belong to them and they use innovative images to portray their world and their times. The innovation in their narratives can be seen in the structure of their images.