Film Review: Ai Weiwei’s Turandot

Directed by Maxim Derevianko
77 min – Italy
World Premiere – Subtitled

Revolutionary Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei was not especially knowledgeable about opera, although he had been an extra in the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Puccini’s Turandot in 1987. (As he claimed years later, he mainly did it for the hot dog money.)

Fast forward to 2018, and the Rome Opera House invited him to direct their production of Turandot. He gamely accepted, and immersed himself in the music, acting, set and costume design, and everything else in this new media. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and in March 2020 – months away from its premiere – the production was put on hold indefinitely.

This compelling documentary takes us through the months leading up to this point, and then on to 2022 when the production was allowed to resume. In addition to the pandemic, the world was facing other crises, such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which personally affected members of the production, and the anti-Chinese government demonstrations in Hong Kong.

It intersperses the production’s progress with looks back at Ai Weiwei’s own challenges, which involved Chinese government backlash against his activism, and his eventual ‘disappearance’ for 81 days in 2011. All these factors greatly influenced the production, giving Puccini’s work an interpretation through a new lens.

This is a well-paced film, with an intimate look into the artistic process, and the impacts of real-world events on the arts.

It is playing again on Thursday, Feb. 6 at 8:40pm

About the Santa Barbara International Film Festival

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival is a celebrated venue for independent and international cinema. Over its 40-year history, SBIFF has grown into one of the leading film festivals in the United States, known for its commitment to community education and the arts. The festival not only showcases world-class filmmaking but also supports educational initiatives aimed at students and underserved communities within Santa Barbara County. For detailed information on films and events featured at the festival, please visit SBIFF’s official website.