At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

The first must-see film of the year.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Set during the Cultural Revolution in Maoist China (late 1960s-early 70s), Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress follows a pair of young men, Luo and Ma, who have been sent from their homes in the city to the rural mountains in central China for the process of "re- education"- a Maoist program known as the "Down to the Countryside" movement. In short, the idea behind this was for the richer urban youth to "see how the other half lives", which instead served as a sort of exile of youth and their potentially revolutionary ideas: send them away, and they won't be a problem anymore. In what would later be recognized as one of the most culturally destructive events in Chinese history, ironically cast as being to remove "revisionists" (those who supported capitalistic ideas and western culture), the years of Mao's Cultural Revolution set the Chinese economy, social structure, education, and politics back irreparably.The story revolves around these two teens and their interactions with the local peasant villagers- but particularly the beautiful granddaughter of the village's tailor. Illiterate, but with an open mind and desire to learn, the Little Seamstress beseeches Luo and Ma to teach her how to read and write, and they see her as a chance to use their "revolutionary ideas" and "corrupt" (redeem) even just one soul from the poisonous teachings of Mao. Of course, at this time, any kind of print material, television, film, or anything of cultural relevance that was deemed "revisionist" or "revolutionary" was strictly prohibited, and subject to confiscation and destruction- not to mention punishable by prison or worse for the offender found in possession of such contraband. Toeing the line, Luo and Ma seek out western books written purely for the pleasure of reading, such as Balzac's Ursule Mirouet and Alexander Dumas' Count of Monte Cristo, with which to teach the Little Seamstress to read, and at the same time to think for herself- a true re-education.Luo and Ma grapple with their circumstances- being pushed into backbreaking labor mining and farming with the penniless villagers and their ignorance of the ways of modern medicine and thought. It's almost as if the people there were frightened to think- afraid of outside knowledge that might threaten their simple, but difficult existence on the mountain, and readily accepted the Maoist ideas that Luo and Ma were seeing right through. The culture of fear instilled in them by the government pervaded their thoughts to the point of near paranoia- the scene where the village chief nearly dies in a cave in attempting to save a portrait of Chairman Mao is the pinnacle of this irrational, fierce obsession. Another scene that really highlit a sense of desperation and tragedy in the movie was how the contraband western authors' books were used as a form of currency, in a sense. Something as simple as literature and knowledge were so dear to Luo and Ma, as an escape from their rough living conditions. Yet another scene that really spoke to me was when Ma contracted (what they thought was) malaria. Being that Luo and Ma were children of a dentist and doctor, respectively, they understood that with medicine and actual treatment that malaria was very curable- but Ma was subjected to all manner of primitive, ignorant, tribalistic medicine- like whipping and being thrown into the lake, and accepted it because he knew there was no way he'd be allowed to leave to seek proper treatment in a city.

I haven't read the book but I have to say that this movie was almost perfect except for the ending. It's about two Chinese male teens sent to the Phoenix Mountains in China to be re-educated about Communism. There in the mountains, they meet an attractive Chinese little seamstress who they read books too like Balzac and others that are normally forbidden. It's a shame that in some parts of the world that censorship goes on but it does. In this movie, the storyline is neither simple nor too complex despite the subtitles. I found myself wanting to read the novel itself when I was done. I found the movie to be treasured and watched for years to come. I found the love story realistic and the ending was a bit vague as well. Regardless, the film showed the mountains of China during the 1970s, the hardship, the reality, and a way to escape their dreary lives.

In China, in times of Mao Tse Tung cultural revolution, two young university students, Luo and Ma are sent in a retired mountain village to be rehabilitated et purged of their old western education. They are placed under the control of a communist little chief without any background and they had to work hardly as peasants. But they have contact with beautiful young women and especially with a young granddaughter of the local village tailor. A love story rapidly develops between Luo and the young seamstress at the same time they read together forbidden books such as works of Honore de Balzac that they have stolen to another student under Maoist rehabilitation. They also enjoyed themselves with classical occidental music such as Mozart and they teach the little illiterate seamstress, improving their lives. The movie is full of fresh feelings and gives us a very good relation of what has been this dramatic period for Chinese population. The landscape where the movie was realized is also particularly beautiful. It's a very great movie, very well acted.

In 1971, in the China of Mao Tse Tung, the two university students Luo (Kun Chen) and Ma (Ye Liu) are sent to a mountain mining village with very ignorant peasants and also a Maoist rehabilitation camp, to be reeducated. Both fall in love for the illiterate granddaughter of the local tailor, called "little seamstress". They become friends, and Luo and Ma steal forbidden books of western literature, and while they read the books and teach the little seamstress, they also tell the story to the community and play classical music in the violin, developing and improving their lives.What a magnificent and beautiful movie is "Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress". In a wonderful landscape with stunning scenery, this revolutionary love story about the importance of books to improve the life of people is very believable and I am not sure whether it is based on a true story. I regret that the DVD released in Brazil by Europa distributor has interviews with the cast and director spoken in Mandarin and without subtitles. My vote is ten.Title (Brazil): "Balzac e a Costureirinha Chinesa" ("Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress")