Breaking with Old Ideas
The film tells the story of the Communist Labour College that opened in the 1960s. Long Guozheng, an emissary from the Communist government and Li Jinfeng, a female peasant student, must fight against the school's more conservative elements. In the film's climax, Li is put on trial and is about to be expelled from the school when she is saved by a pronouncement from Chairman Mao himself.
From the archive
One of the most controversial dramatic films produced in China during the cultural revolution, "Breaking" is about the struggle to democratize education in the countryside. Made during Mao Tse Tung's infamous Cultural Revolution.
Why this is free to watch
Breaking with Old Ideas (1975) is hosted by the Internet Archive as a public-domain or openly licensed work, which means its copyright has expired, lapsed, or was released by the rights holder. The uploader declared an explicit licence, linked in the source panel. Nitrate streams the file directly from the Archive and hosts no video itself.
- Director
- Li Wenhua
- Starring
- Zhenqing Guo, Wang Suya, Wen Xiying, Ge Cunzhuang, Zhang Zheng, Xu Zhan, Hou Guanqun, Hong Xiang
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