Painting For The Revolution: Peasants Paintings from HU County (2005)

In Hu County, near Xi’an, peasant paintings created in 1958 during the Great Leap Forward gained prominence. They were especially celebrated during the Cultural Revolution as exemplary works. In 2005, the filmmakers traveled to the county, interviewing both the artists and their instructors. By examining the evolution of political messaging and artistic expression over time, the film combines archival footage, contemporary propaganda art, local Beijing Opera performed in the "Qin" dialect, and remnants of the past with present realities. These elements work together to offer a deeper understanding of the painters and the history of propaganda art.