"I Am a Mountain" is a film about the education of girls in mountainous areas, which is based on the real experience of Zhang Guimei, a teacher from Northeast China who used to teach in mountainous areas. She was deeply touched by the plight of Xi girls in the mountains during her work in the south, and was determined to change the fate of these girls. The phrase "I am a mountain, not a stream" is not the school's motto, but it has become a motto in the hearts of the students. This sentence reflects Zhang Guimei's desire to remind the majority of female students not to be knocked down by the prejudices of society like a stream, but to establish their own self-confidence and value, and pursue their dreams.
However, "I Am a Mountain" was negatively reviewed and controversial after its release. Several "artistic processing" of archetypal characters in the work has been accused of having a "patriarchal" tendency, which is completely contrary to its own advocacy of educational fairness and opposition to gender discrimination. The occurrence of this PR crisis is surprising and full of irony. At first, the work received a lot of anticipation and support in the publicity, and many parents even hoped to work with the school as a way of "home education". However, after the release, it was met with bad reviews, and some parents even asked for a refund, expressing disappointment. There are several reasons for this, which resonate with the public.
First of all, the most confusing thing is the "processing" of the prototype characters, which misinterprets the original intention of Teacher Zhang Guimei. In the work, she is portrayed as depressed after her husband's death and turns her attention to her students. However, in fact, a reporter interviewed Teacher Zhang herself, and she said: "As a party member, my spirit supports me, and it is worth it to pay for students." Such a change not only distorts the facts, but also touches the truest call of Mr. Zhang's heart.
Secondly, the depiction of pregnancy affecting the work of female teachers is also considered a misrepresentation of the facts. While some teachers may be affected during pregnancy, most responsible teachers also strive to keep teaching on track during pregnancy. Such depictions may mislead viewers about female teachers and their work.
Thirdly, the reasons why the girls in the mountains do not like to go to school are portrayed as wanting to go shopping, going to Internet cafes, and having early love, all of which is really unbelievable. There may be such a scenario in the city, but the screenwriter clearly lacks understanding of the living environment and situation of rural girls. Many students in mountainous areas have never even seen a bustling shopping street in person, and the Internet is a luxury for them. In fact, the reason why they don't like school is more because parents don't value education and only want to use them to fulfill their bride price needs.
Fourth, there is a girl who was personally "saved" by Teacher Zhang, and she and her mother are often subjected to violence by their father. However, in the work, this plot was replaced with "Female Patriarch Alcoholism and Domestic Violence", and the screenwriter claims to have seen a lot of this during the collection. Such explanations and responses make the public feel that there is a lack of sincerity, and even that they are lying. People who have lived in rural areas have clearly stated that there are many more women who commit suicide by drinking pesticides than by alcoholism and domestic violence.
Hu Xijin, a famous ** person, spoke for "I am a high mountain" and spoke highly of the educational significance and value of the work. However, such support "did not help". Many netizens said that since Hu Xijin supports it, they don't want to read it even more, because they feel that the questions raised by Hu Xijin are all wrong. Others questioned whether Hu Xijin had received benefits and knew that he had influence. There is widespread confusion among the public: why are these people blind to their mistakes and unable to understand the reasons for being criticized?
I Am a Mountain" was originally created based on the real experiences and genders of Ms. Zhang Guimei and her students, and this starting point itself has high educational value and influence. However, as mentioned above, several phenomena have made people question whether this setting embodies the concept of "patriarchy", and it has also weakened the strength of Zhang Guimei's thinking. Nominally, Teacher Zhang is Gao Shan, but the work reveals that her husband is Gao Shan. Similarly, another work starring Fan Wei is also based on the deeds of female teachers, but it has been adapted into male teachers. Such a change is ironic and puzzling. If "I Am a Mountain" can truly interpret the experience and gender of the character archetype, I believe it will be more appreciated and recognized.
Artistic creation originates from life but is higher than life, so adaptation and processing are not unacceptable. However, good work should be sublimated rather than reduced. Personal views are personal and do not necessarily represent the views of the platform.
All in all, the PR crisis of "I Am a Mountain" shows that there are problems in the process of processing archetypal characters in the work, and it does not reflect the real stories and genders of Zhang Guimei and her students. Ms. Zhang's silence and refusal to answer also hinted at her dissatisfaction and disappointment with the work. Artistic creation can be adapted and processed, but the principle of sublimation and respect for archetypes should always be maintained.