Here There (Zhe li na li)

A Beijing Xing Guang Heng Yi Culture Co. production. (Worldwide sales: Beijing Xing Guang Heng Yi Culture Co., Beijing.) Created by Jia Hongwei, Guo Xiaowei. Directed by Lu Sheng. Script, Liu Yong, Xu Yang, Lu.With: Bai Yanbo, Yao Anlian, Lu Yulai, Qin Wei. (Mandarin, Shanghainese, French dialogue)Tenuous links and plodding storytelling characterize "Here There," a lonely Chinese arthouse postcard from Nowheresville. Like many lensers-switched-helmers before him, Lu Sheng (who's labored with Jia Zhangke) will get lost inside a loving engagement with imagery as the story requires a back chair. Fests will snap this as much as complete their Asian programs, but "Here There" is not likely to visit anywhere near an industrial theater. Pic observes a deer herder (Bai Yanbo) attempting to survive in inhospitable places before jumping to some Shanghai restaurant where owner Lu (Yao Anlian) is training waiter Guoguang (Lu Yulai). Over dinner, Lu mentions he's a boy residing in Gaul, supplying a hyperlink to some third strand concerning the struggles of the Chinese digital photographer (Qin Wei) in Paris. The helmer might have communicated information with greater economy, taking an hour or so to determine a feeble link between the very first two strands. HD lensing exquisitely captures the snow-laden Chinese backwoods and Paris, but Shanghai is built to appear as dull because the figures there. Perfs by amateur thesps are simply OK, and also the indiscriminate direct-to-microphone seem, the curse of low-budget filmmakers everywhere, is annoying.Camera (color, HD), Lu editor, Kong Jinlei music, Moon Yongmin. Examined at Tokyo, japan Film Festival (Winds of Asia-Middle East), March. 23, 2011. (Also in Busan Film Festival.) Running time: 93 MIN. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com