New comedy focuses on teacher who quits, and remorseful pupils’ lobby

BEIJING: The comedy Mr Zhu’s Summer, which has just opened in China, is about two remorseful pupils’ lobby to get a teacher back after he had resigned because of discouragement.

Veteran actor Sun Bo takes the starring role.

Produced by Chinese filmmaker Xu Zheng and veteran Taiwan film producer Peggy Chiao, the movie is directed by rising star Song Haolin.

The movie was first screened at the 50th Annual WorldFestHouston International Film Festival in the United States in April, where it won a Platinum Remi Award, one of the festival’s highest honours.

The storyline focuses on a hard-working primary schoolteacher who is the butt of jokes among his colleagues and pupils. Disheartened, he quits.

Two of the remorseful pupils then lobby to get him back in class. Sun Bo portrays the teacher, while teenage star Li Haoze plays one of the pupils who torments him.

Xu, known for his hit Lost franchise, hopes cinema managers will add more screenings of the unlikely domestic art-house title, since China’s cinemas have been long dominated by big-budget action movies.

“I hope Chinese cinemas can offer more choice to people who love different kinds of movies. Mr Zhu’s Summer is a warm story but also looks deep into the sad side of life. The tale attracted me at first glance,” said Xu during a preview screening last Sunday.