Innocence and imagination, all rolled into magical realism, is what Yongkang Tang’s sophomore feature, Stars and the Moon, offers us.
In Stars and the Moon, Chinese director Yongkang Tang takes us into the heart of a small, insular mountain village in Shandong, where youthful imagination collides with the harshness of reality. This film was showcased under New Directors at the 72nd San Sebastian International Film Festival.
The film explores a poignant blend of magical realism and rural life, using themes of hope, isolation, and the unbreakable bond between two brothers who refuse to conform to the rigid expectations of their community.
The narrative centers on Xingxing, a young boy with his head in the stars—literally. Convinced that aliens are waiting for him in the night sky, Xingxing spends his days dreaming of otherworldly visitors, an idea that the pragmatic villagers view as absurd. His obsession with the stars makes him an outcast in a community where practicality reigns, and day-to-day survival is the priority. But despite the ridicule, Xingxing’s determination never wavers. The villagers dismiss his dreams as childish fantasies, but to him, the stars represent an escape from the confines of his reality.
Where Stars and the Moon gains emotional depth is through the relationship between Xingxing and his older brother, Yueliang, who shares his sibling’s single-minded determination. The “one-track-minded” Yueliang becomes the sole person in the village willing to support Xingxing’s outlandish quest. While others scoff, Yueliang sees the spark of something purer in his younger brother’s dreams—perhaps a reflection of unfulfilled ambitions of his own. The film’s emotional arc is driven by this quiet, often unspoken bond between the brothers, as Yueliang embarks on a journey to help Xingxing fulfill his seemingly impossible dream of seeing the stars and maybe the aliens up close.
Tang’s direction here is restrained but deeply evocative, allowing the emotional nuances of the story to emerge gradually. The quiet simplicity of village life is captured in long, lingering shots of the rugged mountain terrain and the isolated homes nestled within it. Cinematographer Liu Wei’s camera work enhances the film’s atmosphere, with expansive shots of the night sky mirroring the vastness of Xingxing’s imagination, while the constricted village scenes emphasize the boy’s sense of entrapment in a place that cannot see beyond its borders.
Tang plays with the tension between realism and fantasy throughout the film. The villagers’ skepticism and daily hardships ground the story in a harsh reality, but the innocence of Xingxing’s belief in extraterrestrial life allows the narrative to gently tiptoe into magical realism. This delicate balance is maintained with skill, as the film invites the audience to consider the power of belief and the beauty of a child’s view of the world, unclouded by cynicism.
What stands out most about Stars and the Moon is the film’s emotional subtlety. There are no grand revelations or dramatic confrontations. Instead, Tang relies on small, quiet moments to convey the depth of the characters’ inner worlds. A shared glance between the brothers, a fleeting smile, or the quiet rustling of the night wind against the mountains are the elements that drive the film’s emotional core.
The film’s pacing, however, is slow and deliberate, and while this may test the patience of some festival-goers, those willing to embrace its meditative rhythm will find a deeply rewarding experience. Tang uses this slow pace to build a lingering sense of melancholy, as it becomes clear that Xingxing’s dreams—no matter how fervently pursued—may not lead to the fulfillment he desires. In this way, beyond a story about belief and imagination, Stars and the Moon deals with the inevitable clash between dreams and the often unforgiving reality of life in a rural village.
The film reaches its emotional climax in a quiet yet devastating final sequence where Yueliang’s efforts to help Xingxing reach the stars culminate in a bittersweet resolution. There’s a haunting beauty to this moment, as the film leaves the viewer to ponder the power of belief, even in the face of insurmountable odds. Thus, the director masterfully weaves together elements of fantasy and harsh realism, crafting a tale that is as much about the limitations imposed by the environment as it is about the boundless nature of human imagination.
We are delighted to be reporting live from the 72nd San Sebastian International Film Festival, running on September 20-28, 2024 in Spain.
