Although they live ordinary lives, the characters in "Still Life" take on a more active attitude in pursuing what they want. This is a minor change from previous Jia Zhangke movies, where ordinary folks and social outcasts are often more constrained, like the thief in "Pickpocket", the children of laid-off workers in "Unknown Pleasures" and the migrant workers in "The World". They all more or less feel a little confused and helpless.
Documentary Style

Jia Zhangke explained his obsession with his documentary style and non-professional performers.

"I have a special love for documentaries. I hope my movies will be a reflection of the natural state of things, which requires the actors and actresses to be in a natural state. Therefore, I prefer non-professional actors. For one thing, they are able to bring out the original state of life. They are also very close to nature."

Jia Zhangke's obsession with ordinary people may spring from his personal experiences.

One of the Sixth Generation of Directors: Jia Zhangke

Thirty-six-year-old Jia Zhangke was born in an ordinary family in Fenyang county in Shanxi province. In 1993, Jia was admitted into the Beijing Film Academy. Three years later, he became an independent filmmaker. From a little town to Beijing, Jia Zhangke feels like an outsider, a feeling shared by many who first come to Beijing. As a result, Jia Zhangke has a tendency to intertwine this feeling into many of his works.

"The World" is representative of this feeling. It tells the story of a group of non-native youngsters who work at a miniature scenic spot called World Park. Jia Zhangke talked about the creation of the movie.

"I think in the process of urbanization, especially after the success of Beijing's bid for the 2008 Olympic Games, a number of outsiders, myself included, all rushed into the big cities. I came to Beijing from Fenyang, a little town in Shanxi province, in 1993. We are called the generation of drifters. This film tells the problems, stress, confusion, distress and hope of the youngsters, the generation of drifters in the process of accelerated economic changes."

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