Tao Hong meets college students

"Rice Fragrance" with actress Tao Hong taking the lead and directing, has been an entry at a slew of international movie festivals. Earlier this week, the production was featured at the Beijing College Students Festival, where Tao Hong shared some of her experiences making the movie.

The production was featured at the Beijing College Students Festival, where Tao Hong shared some of her experiences making the movie.

"Rice Fragrance" portrays the lives of people from the wrong side of the tracks. A Sichuan woman named "Rice Fragrance" is married to a coal miner, which means she is set to get a huge compensation fee if he dies in one of the frequent mine accidents. She hopes for this to happen so she can raise her son who has cerebral palsy. But she is finally moved by the worker's sincere love for her and her son. The tragic love story won the hearts of both jury members and the audience.

A college student said, "The movie is about love. It makes us see love in different forms and dimensions. But the story ended in tragedy. It made me very sad to see such an ending. I wonder why you didn't give it a happy ending and allow the audience feel more of the love."

Tao Hong said, "From the point of view of the audience, a happy ending may seem more gratifying. But as a movie, "Rice Fragrance" has its own message. The tragic ending is meant to convey the imperfection of human existence, which is rather common in this world. Sometimes, sorrow can lead us to see the beauty of life."

"Rice Fragrance" is the first time that Tao Hong has played a woman from the countryside. And all the lines were delivered in a heavy North China dialect.

At last November's Golden Horse Awards, it took away honors for Best Original Movie Song. The film will soon open in theaters across China.