Arts & Culture

What: Ai Weiwei’s Turandot
Where: Hot Docs Festival
When: Now
Next:  Sun., April 27 (1:45 pm), Sat., May 3 (7:30 pm)
Genre: Documentary
Rating: NNN (out of 5)
Why you should watch: An intimate look at the crafting of politically charged opera, Ai Weiwei’s Turandot is a moving tribute to the legendary political activist, even if it tells us little about what drives Ai Weiwei himself.

AI WEIWEI, the legendary political activist and artist, has faced extraordinary challenges, including facing down the Chinese Communist Party and the demolition of his artist studio, but in Ai Weiwei’s Turandot, he faces one of his greatest challenges yet: directing an opera. Ai has never directed an opera before, having only performed as an extra in a production of Turandot in 1987 to make a buck. Maxim Derevianko, making his feature documentary debut, charts the journey of Ai’s unique production of Turandot, combining the classic opera with his political activism, staying true to the film’s opening quote, “Everything is art. Everything is politics.”

Derevianko wisely remains a fly on the wall throughout the film. Much of the first half is focused on the rehearsals for the show, giving the film a sense of intimacy. We see Ai’s vision in action as he gives notes to his performers and his as he sees the first designs for the opera’s set. Ai’s passion for his art can be felt throughout, and in learning to direct an opera, he feels a sense of liberation, the stage becoming his canvas to spread his message to the world. As the latter half focuses on the production itself, the doc becomes a tribute not only to Ai’s vision but to the entire crew who made his “modern interpretation” possible so that the opera becomes a way to “support peace.”

Interviews with crew members echo their shared vision with Ai. An interview with Ukrainian conductor Oksana Lyniv, is especially impactful, the opera taking on a new power over her after the invasion of her homeland. The opera is her way of “fighting” for her people and “educating” people for a better world, a sentiment that Ai’s career has been all about.

Yet, while the portrayal of the opera is intimate, Derevianko never quite gets close enough to Ai himself. Ai’s reputation and legend loom large over the film. His influence is felt whenever someone talks of the opera, and the opera is a synthesis of his artistic and political vision and so is inevitably an extension of him. Yet, the documentary rarely shines a light on who he is and what fuels his passion for art and activism. An attempt to delve deeper into his wider life comes by intercutting the opera’s rehearsals with scenes charting key events in Ai’s political activism, most notably his advocacy on behalf of victims of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. However, these scenes feel more like a Wikipedia-style overview of his activism. For anyone unfamiliar with his work, it tells them very little about his life story, leaving a sense of disconnect between the audience and the man at the heart of this documentary. This is not helped by the limited time Ai is interviewed, so we never get to the heart of what makes him who he is. In that sense, this documentary provides more of a tribute, celebrating his work without providing an in-depth analysis of his psyche, which ultimately frustrates those seeking a deeper understanding of the artist.

Nonetheless, the documentary remains a strong tribute to the central opera. Derevianko provides strong pacing to proceedings, moving seamlessly between interviews and scenes, capturing the intimacy of rehearsals as well as the opera’s rousing performance in the third act. Those going to watch this with little knowledge of Ai Weiwei shouldn’t expect a full rundown of his life and times but a tribute to his work through an intimate story that celebrates a small but important part of his activism.