The transformation of narrative and emotional structure in rural films: A case study of The NightRain South Township
Zhenyang Wang
Chengdu College of Fine Arts, Sichuan Conservatory of Music
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/pmcs.v8i1.13425
Keywords: rural narrative; emotional structure; literary film; youth film; leaving hometown—Returning to hometown
Abstract
Taking The Night Rain South Township directed by young director Li Binbin (also known as Li Binbin) as the research object, this paper explores the intergenerational transformation and emotional structure changes of the "leaving hometown—Returning to hometown" narrative mode in the image creation of the new generation against the background of accelerating urbanization in contemporary Chinese society. Through the "literary film" expression characterized by downplaying dramatic conflicts, weakening character growth trajectories, and concealing grand themes, the film presents a "detached" emotional attitude and rural cognitive style. This paper argues that this narrative strategy not only stems from the superficial and fragmented rural life experience of post-90s creators but also reflects the fundamental changes in the emotional connection between the youth group and their hometown in the "post-rural era". Combining the audio-visual language, narrative structure and cultural context of the film, the study analyzes how it integrates modernist expressions into classical aesthetic images, thereby reconstructing the significance of "rural areas" as psychological space and cultural identity. The paper points out that while The Night Rain South Township expands the aesthetic boundary of rural films, it also exposes the limitations of the new generation of creators in grasping historical depth and social thickness, thus providing a typical text for understanding the intergenerational transformation of contemporary Chinese rural narratives.
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