Topic > The Last Train Home: A Film Directed by Lixin Fan

Unlike Westerners, New Year is extremely important in Asian countries. It is an opportunity to reunite with your family after a period of time. Therefore, many people, no matter what they do, will try to find time to go home for this special event. In China, with an overwhelming population, more than 130 million migrant workers seek to return to their home villages. This is the result of the process of mid-industrialization, in which the country is caught between its rural agricultural past and the present rapid economic development. “Last train home”, a film directed by Lixin Fan, sheds light on the difference between rural and urban areas. At the same time, the film secretly makes viewers wonder what they would have to do if they were in the character's shoes. The first part of this essay will try to cover the difference between rural and urban areas, ranging from the physical landscape to lifestyles. Meanwhile, the second half of this essay will express my point of view, what I would do if I were the parents in the film. The film begins with an empty, asphalt lot. However, as the camera pans, a sea of ​​people can be seen behind the barriers. The noises, the amount of people struggling to stand make the scene seem like the start of a revolt. Yet they are all simply trying to get tickets home. Among these migrant workers are two characters, a husband and wife named Zhang Changhua and Chen Suqin respectively. They left their young children in Huilong for their grandparents to take care of and moved to Guangzhou city. When they left, their firstborn was just a baby. As the parents later told the director, they had “no choice” but to leave their children. However, the difference between... half of the card... can't do that. If the wife decides to leave, this decision will also cause Changhua to become the sole support of the family. They can barely support the old family. Even when it comes to riches, children still cost a reasonable amount of money. For the poor, now, with a new member, this puts more pressure. Therefore, one should put oneself in the other's position before making a judgment. The film “Last train home” does more than just describe the differences between rural and urban areas. It also tells of the struggles and choices that the poor have to make at the same time. However, because many different considerations are taken into account, the decision is not always as simple as choosing whether it is a right or wrong choice. If I were the parents who had to take care of my family, in those circumstances, perhaps I would do the same.