‘The Botanist’ Review: A Graceful Chinese Coming-of-Ager With Dreamy Images More Captivating Than the Story

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Jing Yi’s film, titled “The Botanist (Zhi Wu Xue Jia)”, has a storyline that resembles a common coming-of-age tale. It centers around a solitary boy, brought up by his grandmother in a quaint town, who develops feelings for a girl from the neighboring area. However, as people start to migrate towards larger cities, there’s a possibility that this boy might be left behind.

Jing’s first film, unlike many others in its genre, stands out due to its distinctive setting and a profound focus on nature, reflected in its title. The movie, titled The Botanist, is set in a breathtaking secluded valley in northern China bordering Kazakhstan, where the residents converse in Kazakh rather than Mandarin, and life seems untouched by modern technology.

Or, more casually:

Jing’s debut film is unique among its genre peers due to its stunning location in a remote Chinese valley on the border with Kazakhstan, as well as its deep-rooted interest in nature. The movie, called The Botanist, follows an isolated community where people speak Kazakh and live as if modern technology never happened.

The movie “The Botanist,” showcased in Berlin’s Generation section, has a captivating setting that might be too dreamy and subtle for some viewers, focusing more on creating a mystical atmosphere and visual beauty rather than developing a deep narrative. It could potentially screen at other film festivals and attract niche distributors, particularly those who cater to young audiences intrigued by exploring hidden worlds.

The movie begins much like a classic fairy tale, maintaining this atmosphere throughout its storyline. In the current times, we find ourselves in the life of a young boy named Arsin (Yesl Jahseleh), who resides with his grandmother (Sarhet Eramazan) and spends his leisurely hours during summer break, not playing, but instead gathering various plant specimens for his own personal botany collection.

It’s challenging to pinpoint the specific timeframe where the events unfold. In the far north of Xinjiang province, life remains largely unchanged for many years. When not traversing the countryside in search of unique blooms and documenting them in a journal, Arsin assists his elder brother Jalen Nurdaolet in tending to sheep on the nearby slopes. At night, without modern distractions like iPhones or Nintendo Switches, he rests peacefully, immersed in dreamlike visions that occasionally cause him to wander into the forest. It’s uncertain whether the occurrences depicted in “The Botanist” are actual events or the imaginative dreams of a young boy.

It’s evident that Jing is aiming for this particular tone in his work. He skillfully uses intriguingly framed shots (taken by Li Vanon, who is debuting with this feature) to depict a setting where nature appears to be reclaiming dominance — notice the scene of a horse unexpectedly appearing within a classroom filled with plants — and where existence sometimes feels like a fairy tale, until it suddenly becomes stark reality.

Every time Arsin visits, it’s when she encounters Meiyu (Ren Zihan), a young Chinese girl who assists in her family’s local store – the only connection between their community and China. When Arsin drops by to pick up supplies and engage in quiet flirtation, news about proposals for natural gas mining in the area comes over the radio, marking a change that will undoubtedly reshape the landscape forever.

The heartwarming bond between Arsin and Meiyu forms the core of the narrative, yet it’s primarily built on shared moments of camaraderie and brief, meaningful looks. A more captivating subplot revolves around Arsin’s brother, who abandoned a labor position in Beijing following a physical confrontation. Stuck at home, he spends his days texting his city girlfriend, yearning for freedom from the rural lifestyle. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Meiyu also has an opportunity to leave, potentially leaving Arsin alone.

The advancements in the storyline aren’t particularly impactful, and “The Botanist” appears to be more of a dreamy state than a conventional coming-of-age narrative it occasionally strives for. Jing skillfully portrays the charm of rural life, especially when one is young like Arsin and open to nature’s warmth (we find out earlier that the character has an absent uncle who was also an amateur botanist). However, the movie’s world can be so dreamlike – although aesthetically appealing – that it sometimes feels elusive.

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2025-02-15 21:24